❓ Question regarding the impact of 'truth in sentencing' legislation on maximum penalties for violent crimes, with the Premier's response focusing on historical context and perceived opposition hypocrisy.
AnsweredQoN 434Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
TRUTH IN SENTENCING LEGISLATION
I refer to the recent spate of violent and unprovoked attacks on Perth residents in their home and garden, which will probably result in charges of grievous bodily harm under the Criminal Code, which says it carries a penalty of 10 years, and I ask - (1) Is the Premier aware that the State Director of Public Prosecutions is unable to ask for, and the sentencing judge can never impose, that penalty because the government’s so-called truth in sentencing legislation only ever allows a maximum sentence of six years and four months? (2) Would the Premier therefore give bipartisan support for the introduction of a bill to repeal the provision that forces the courts to cut maximum penalties by one-third across most offences in Western Australia? Mr A.J. CARPENTER
I refer to the recent spate of violent and unprovoked attacks on Perth residents in their home and garden, which will probably result in charges of grievous bodily harm under the Criminal Code, which says it carries a penalty of 10 years, and I ask - (1) Is the Premier aware that the State Director of Public Prosecutions is unable to ask for, and the sentencing judge can never impose, that penalty because the government’s so-called truth in sentencing legislation only ever allows a maximum sentence of six years and four months? (2) Would the Premier therefore give bipartisan support for the introduction of a bill to repeal the provision that forces the courts to cut maximum penalties by one-third across most offences in Western Australia? Mr A.J. CARPENTER
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(2) I thank the member for Nedlands for the question. It is very kind of her to ask it. I am flattered. Ms S.E. Walker : Well, you did talk about drugs. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We did, and I give credit where credit is due for the member’s position on the drugs issue back in those days. I must try to put some historical perspective onto this as well. My recollection is that the member for Nedlands strongly supported the outcome she has just described. Ms S.E. Walker : I vehemently opposed it! I will give you the page number of Hansard . This side of the house vehemently opposed the Sentencing Legislation Amendment and Repeal Bill 2002. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Nedlands, I will look at it. However, the situation as I recall it - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Possibly. As I recall it, the situation in place allowed for two reductions of sentence. The first reduction was a one-third automatic remission introduced sometime in the late ‘80s or early ‘90s and the second reduction was a one-third reduction for parole purposes. Potentially, only one-third of a sentence was being served. Is that correct? Ms S.E. Walker : I am asking you. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think it is correct. We went through about eight years of Liberal government, when admittedly the member for Nedlands was not here. She is in the same fortunate position as the Leader of the National Party; she has only ever seen good government! Ms S.E. Walker : But I do know what I am talking about, and you do not. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That was a good line by the way. We had a situation where potentially and most likely, offenders who might be sentenced for nine or 10 years were serving only three years. As I recall, that was the situation on-foot right through that time. Is that correct Attorney General? Mr J.A. McGinty : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We changed the law to remove the automatic one-third remission. Again, the opposition is accusing the government of somehow “not being strong enough” on crime and criminal issues, when the comparative record says exactly the opposite. We also have a situation in which the opposition has come up with a strategy - and good credit to it. When the opposition has nothing else going for it, it goes back to the old law and order arguments. The opposition has absolutely no other policy agenda. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That is fine. That is reasonable. I am not criticising the opposition. Mr R.F. Johnson : Blooming hopeless! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Blooming ‘opeless! Mr R.F. Johnson : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I am not criticising the opposition, I am giving it credit for coming up with a strategy, when it has nothing else. That is good. On the one hand, following the arguments put forward by the opposition for the last week or so, it is criticising the government for not being tough enough on law and order. Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
(1) Is the Premier aware that the State Director of Public Prosecutions is unable to ask for, and the sentencing judge can never impose, that penalty because the government’s so-called truth in sentencing legislation only ever allows a maximum sentence of six years and four months? (2) Would the Premier therefore give bipartisan support for the introduction of a bill to repeal the provision that forces the courts to cut maximum penalties by one-third across most offences in Western Australia? Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: (1)-(2) I thank the member for Nedlands for the question. It is very kind of her to ask it. I am flattered. Ms S.E. Walker : Well, you did talk about drugs. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We did, and I give credit where credit is due for the member’s position on the drugs issue back in those days. I must try to put some historical perspective onto this as well. My recollection is that the member for Nedlands strongly supported the outcome she has just described. Ms S.E. Walker : I vehemently opposed it! I will give you the page number of Hansard . This side of the house vehemently opposed the Sentencing Legislation Amendment and Repeal Bill 2002. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Nedlands, I will look at it. However, the situation as I recall it - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Possibly. As I recall it, the situation in place allowed for two reductions of sentence. The first reduction was a one-third automatic remission introduced sometime in the late ‘80s or early ‘90s and the second reduction was a one-third reduction for parole purposes. Potentially, only one-third of a sentence was being served. Is that correct? Ms S.E. Walker : I am asking you. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think it is correct. We went through about eight years of Liberal government, when admittedly the member for Nedlands was not here. She is in the same fortunate position as the Leader of the National Party; she has only ever seen good government! Ms S.E. Walker : But I do know what I am talking about, and you do not. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That was a good line by the way. We had a situation where potentially and most likely, offenders who might be sentenced for nine or 10 years were serving only three years. As I recall, that was the situation on-foot right through that time. Is that correct Attorney General? Mr J.A. McGinty : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We changed the law to remove the automatic one-third remission. Again, the opposition is accusing the government of somehow “not being strong enough” on crime and criminal issues, when the comparative record says exactly the opposite. We also have a situation in which the opposition has come up with a strategy - and good credit to it. When the opposition has nothing else going for it, it goes back to the old law and order arguments. The opposition has absolutely no other policy agenda. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That is fine. That is reasonable. I am not criticising the opposition. Mr R.F. Johnson : Blooming hopeless! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Blooming ‘opeless! Mr R.F. Johnson : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I am not criticising the opposition, I am giving it credit for coming up with a strategy, when it has nothing else. That is good. On the one hand, following the arguments put forward by the opposition for the last week or so, it is criticising the government for not being tough enough on law and order. Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
(2) Would the Premier therefore give bipartisan support for the introduction of a bill to repeal the provision that forces the courts to cut maximum penalties by one-third across most offences in Western Australia? Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: (1)-(2) I thank the member for Nedlands for the question. It is very kind of her to ask it. I am flattered. Ms S.E. Walker : Well, you did talk about drugs. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We did, and I give credit where credit is due for the member’s position on the drugs issue back in those days. I must try to put some historical perspective onto this as well. My recollection is that the member for Nedlands strongly supported the outcome she has just described. Ms S.E. Walker : I vehemently opposed it! I will give you the page number of Hansard . This side of the house vehemently opposed the Sentencing Legislation Amendment and Repeal Bill 2002. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Nedlands, I will look at it. However, the situation as I recall it - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Possibly. As I recall it, the situation in place allowed for two reductions of sentence. The first reduction was a one-third automatic remission introduced sometime in the late ‘80s or early ‘90s and the second reduction was a one-third reduction for parole purposes. Potentially, only one-third of a sentence was being served. Is that correct? Ms S.E. Walker : I am asking you. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think it is correct. We went through about eight years of Liberal government, when admittedly the member for Nedlands was not here. She is in the same fortunate position as the Leader of the National Party; she has only ever seen good government! Ms S.E. Walker : But I do know what I am talking about, and you do not. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That was a good line by the way. We had a situation where potentially and most likely, offenders who might be sentenced for nine or 10 years were serving only three years. As I recall, that was the situation on-foot right through that time. Is that correct Attorney General? Mr J.A. McGinty : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We changed the law to remove the automatic one-third remission. Again, the opposition is accusing the government of somehow “not being strong enough” on crime and criminal issues, when the comparative record says exactly the opposite. We also have a situation in which the opposition has come up with a strategy - and good credit to it. When the opposition has nothing else going for it, it goes back to the old law and order arguments. The opposition has absolutely no other policy agenda. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That is fine. That is reasonable. I am not criticising the opposition. Mr R.F. Johnson : Blooming hopeless! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Blooming ‘opeless! Mr R.F. Johnson : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I am not criticising the opposition, I am giving it credit for coming up with a strategy, when it has nothing else. That is good. On the one hand, following the arguments put forward by the opposition for the last week or so, it is criticising the government for not being tough enough on law and order. Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: (1)-(2) I thank the member for Nedlands for the question. It is very kind of her to ask it. I am flattered. Ms S.E. Walker : Well, you did talk about drugs. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We did, and I give credit where credit is due for the member’s position on the drugs issue back in those days. I must try to put some historical perspective onto this as well. My recollection is that the member for Nedlands strongly supported the outcome she has just described. Ms S.E. Walker : I vehemently opposed it! I will give you the page number of Hansard . This side of the house vehemently opposed the Sentencing Legislation Amendment and Repeal Bill 2002. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Nedlands, I will look at it. However, the situation as I recall it - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Possibly. As I recall it, the situation in place allowed for two reductions of sentence. The first reduction was a one-third automatic remission introduced sometime in the late ‘80s or early ‘90s and the second reduction was a one-third reduction for parole purposes. Potentially, only one-third of a sentence was being served. Is that correct? Ms S.E. Walker : I am asking you. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think it is correct. We went through about eight years of Liberal government, when admittedly the member for Nedlands was not here. She is in the same fortunate position as the Leader of the National Party; she has only ever seen good government! Ms S.E. Walker : But I do know what I am talking about, and you do not. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That was a good line by the way. We had a situation where potentially and most likely, offenders who might be sentenced for nine or 10 years were serving only three years. As I recall, that was the situation on-foot right through that time. Is that correct Attorney General? Mr J.A. McGinty : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We changed the law to remove the automatic one-third remission. Again, the opposition is accusing the government of somehow “not being strong enough” on crime and criminal issues, when the comparative record says exactly the opposite. We also have a situation in which the opposition has come up with a strategy - and good credit to it. When the opposition has nothing else going for it, it goes back to the old law and order arguments. The opposition has absolutely no other policy agenda. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That is fine. That is reasonable. I am not criticising the opposition. Mr R.F. Johnson : Blooming hopeless! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Blooming ‘opeless! Mr R.F. Johnson : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I am not criticising the opposition, I am giving it credit for coming up with a strategy, when it has nothing else. That is good. On the one hand, following the arguments put forward by the opposition for the last week or so, it is criticising the government for not being tough enough on law and order. Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
(1)-(2) I thank the member for Nedlands for the question. It is very kind of her to ask it. I am flattered. Ms S.E. Walker : Well, you did talk about drugs. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We did, and I give credit where credit is due for the member’s position on the drugs issue back in those days. I must try to put some historical perspective onto this as well. My recollection is that the member for Nedlands strongly supported the outcome she has just described. Ms S.E. Walker : I vehemently opposed it! I will give you the page number of Hansard . This side of the house vehemently opposed the Sentencing Legislation Amendment and Repeal Bill 2002. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Nedlands, I will look at it. However, the situation as I recall it - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Possibly. As I recall it, the situation in place allowed for two reductions of sentence. The first reduction was a one-third automatic remission introduced sometime in the late ‘80s or early ‘90s and the second reduction was a one-third reduction for parole purposes. Potentially, only one-third of a sentence was being served. Is that correct? Ms S.E. Walker : I am asking you. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think it is correct. We went through about eight years of Liberal government, when admittedly the member for Nedlands was not here. She is in the same fortunate position as the Leader of the National Party; she has only ever seen good government! Ms S.E. Walker : But I do know what I am talking about, and you do not. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That was a good line by the way. We had a situation where potentially and most likely, offenders who might be sentenced for nine or 10 years were serving only three years. As I recall, that was the situation on-foot right through that time. Is that correct Attorney General? Mr J.A. McGinty : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We changed the law to remove the automatic one-third remission. Again, the opposition is accusing the government of somehow “not being strong enough” on crime and criminal issues, when the comparative record says exactly the opposite. We also have a situation in which the opposition has come up with a strategy - and good credit to it. When the opposition has nothing else going for it, it goes back to the old law and order arguments. The opposition has absolutely no other policy agenda. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That is fine. That is reasonable. I am not criticising the opposition. Mr R.F. Johnson : Blooming hopeless! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Blooming ‘opeless! Mr R.F. Johnson : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I am not criticising the opposition, I am giving it credit for coming up with a strategy, when it has nothing else. That is good. On the one hand, following the arguments put forward by the opposition for the last week or so, it is criticising the government for not being tough enough on law and order. Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Ms S.E. Walker : Well, you did talk about drugs. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We did, and I give credit where credit is due for the member’s position on the drugs issue back in those days. I must try to put some historical perspective onto this as well. My recollection is that the member for Nedlands strongly supported the outcome she has just described. Ms S.E. Walker : I vehemently opposed it! I will give you the page number of Hansard . This side of the house vehemently opposed the Sentencing Legislation Amendment and Repeal Bill 2002. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Nedlands, I will look at it. However, the situation as I recall it - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Possibly. As I recall it, the situation in place allowed for two reductions of sentence. The first reduction was a one-third automatic remission introduced sometime in the late ‘80s or early ‘90s and the second reduction was a one-third reduction for parole purposes. Potentially, only one-third of a sentence was being served. Is that correct? Ms S.E. Walker : I am asking you. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think it is correct. We went through about eight years of Liberal government, when admittedly the member for Nedlands was not here. She is in the same fortunate position as the Leader of the National Party; she has only ever seen good government! Ms S.E. Walker : But I do know what I am talking about, and you do not. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That was a good line by the way. We had a situation where potentially and most likely, offenders who might be sentenced for nine or 10 years were serving only three years. As I recall, that was the situation on-foot right through that time. Is that correct Attorney General? Mr J.A. McGinty : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We changed the law to remove the automatic one-third remission. Again, the opposition is accusing the government of somehow “not being strong enough” on crime and criminal issues, when the comparative record says exactly the opposite. We also have a situation in which the opposition has come up with a strategy - and good credit to it. When the opposition has nothing else going for it, it goes back to the old law and order arguments. The opposition has absolutely no other policy agenda. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That is fine. That is reasonable. I am not criticising the opposition. Mr R.F. Johnson : Blooming hopeless! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Blooming ‘opeless! Mr R.F. Johnson : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I am not criticising the opposition, I am giving it credit for coming up with a strategy, when it has nothing else. That is good. On the one hand, following the arguments put forward by the opposition for the last week or so, it is criticising the government for not being tough enough on law and order. Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We did, and I give credit where credit is due for the member’s position on the drugs issue back in those days. I must try to put some historical perspective onto this as well. My recollection is that the member for Nedlands strongly supported the outcome she has just described. Ms S.E. Walker : I vehemently opposed it! I will give you the page number of Hansard . This side of the house vehemently opposed the Sentencing Legislation Amendment and Repeal Bill 2002. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Nedlands, I will look at it. However, the situation as I recall it - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Possibly. As I recall it, the situation in place allowed for two reductions of sentence. The first reduction was a one-third automatic remission introduced sometime in the late ‘80s or early ‘90s and the second reduction was a one-third reduction for parole purposes. Potentially, only one-third of a sentence was being served. Is that correct? Ms S.E. Walker : I am asking you. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think it is correct. We went through about eight years of Liberal government, when admittedly the member for Nedlands was not here. She is in the same fortunate position as the Leader of the National Party; she has only ever seen good government! Ms S.E. Walker : But I do know what I am talking about, and you do not. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That was a good line by the way. We had a situation where potentially and most likely, offenders who might be sentenced for nine or 10 years were serving only three years. As I recall, that was the situation on-foot right through that time. Is that correct Attorney General? Mr J.A. McGinty : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We changed the law to remove the automatic one-third remission. Again, the opposition is accusing the government of somehow “not being strong enough” on crime and criminal issues, when the comparative record says exactly the opposite. We also have a situation in which the opposition has come up with a strategy - and good credit to it. When the opposition has nothing else going for it, it goes back to the old law and order arguments. The opposition has absolutely no other policy agenda. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That is fine. That is reasonable. I am not criticising the opposition. Mr R.F. Johnson : Blooming hopeless! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Blooming ‘opeless! Mr R.F. Johnson : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I am not criticising the opposition, I am giving it credit for coming up with a strategy, when it has nothing else. That is good. On the one hand, following the arguments put forward by the opposition for the last week or so, it is criticising the government for not being tough enough on law and order. Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Ms S.E. Walker : I vehemently opposed it! I will give you the page number of Hansard . This side of the house vehemently opposed the Sentencing Legislation Amendment and Repeal Bill 2002. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Nedlands, I will look at it. However, the situation as I recall it - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Possibly. As I recall it, the situation in place allowed for two reductions of sentence. The first reduction was a one-third automatic remission introduced sometime in the late ‘80s or early ‘90s and the second reduction was a one-third reduction for parole purposes. Potentially, only one-third of a sentence was being served. Is that correct? Ms S.E. Walker : I am asking you. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think it is correct. We went through about eight years of Liberal government, when admittedly the member for Nedlands was not here. She is in the same fortunate position as the Leader of the National Party; she has only ever seen good government! Ms S.E. Walker : But I do know what I am talking about, and you do not. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That was a good line by the way. We had a situation where potentially and most likely, offenders who might be sentenced for nine or 10 years were serving only three years. As I recall, that was the situation on-foot right through that time. Is that correct Attorney General? Mr J.A. McGinty : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We changed the law to remove the automatic one-third remission. Again, the opposition is accusing the government of somehow “not being strong enough” on crime and criminal issues, when the comparative record says exactly the opposite. We also have a situation in which the opposition has come up with a strategy - and good credit to it. When the opposition has nothing else going for it, it goes back to the old law and order arguments. The opposition has absolutely no other policy agenda. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That is fine. That is reasonable. I am not criticising the opposition. Mr R.F. Johnson : Blooming hopeless! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Blooming ‘opeless! Mr R.F. Johnson : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I am not criticising the opposition, I am giving it credit for coming up with a strategy, when it has nothing else. That is good. On the one hand, following the arguments put forward by the opposition for the last week or so, it is criticising the government for not being tough enough on law and order. Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Nedlands, I will look at it. However, the situation as I recall it - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Possibly. As I recall it, the situation in place allowed for two reductions of sentence. The first reduction was a one-third automatic remission introduced sometime in the late ‘80s or early ‘90s and the second reduction was a one-third reduction for parole purposes. Potentially, only one-third of a sentence was being served. Is that correct? Ms S.E. Walker : I am asking you. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think it is correct. We went through about eight years of Liberal government, when admittedly the member for Nedlands was not here. She is in the same fortunate position as the Leader of the National Party; she has only ever seen good government! Ms S.E. Walker : But I do know what I am talking about, and you do not. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That was a good line by the way. We had a situation where potentially and most likely, offenders who might be sentenced for nine or 10 years were serving only three years. As I recall, that was the situation on-foot right through that time. Is that correct Attorney General? Mr J.A. McGinty : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We changed the law to remove the automatic one-third remission. Again, the opposition is accusing the government of somehow “not being strong enough” on crime and criminal issues, when the comparative record says exactly the opposite. We also have a situation in which the opposition has come up with a strategy - and good credit to it. When the opposition has nothing else going for it, it goes back to the old law and order arguments. The opposition has absolutely no other policy agenda. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That is fine. That is reasonable. I am not criticising the opposition. Mr R.F. Johnson : Blooming hopeless! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Blooming ‘opeless! Mr R.F. Johnson : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I am not criticising the opposition, I am giving it credit for coming up with a strategy, when it has nothing else. That is good. On the one hand, following the arguments put forward by the opposition for the last week or so, it is criticising the government for not being tough enough on law and order. Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Possibly. As I recall it, the situation in place allowed for two reductions of sentence. The first reduction was a one-third automatic remission introduced sometime in the late ‘80s or early ‘90s and the second reduction was a one-third reduction for parole purposes. Potentially, only one-third of a sentence was being served. Is that correct? Ms S.E. Walker : I am asking you. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think it is correct. We went through about eight years of Liberal government, when admittedly the member for Nedlands was not here. She is in the same fortunate position as the Leader of the National Party; she has only ever seen good government! Ms S.E. Walker : But I do know what I am talking about, and you do not. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That was a good line by the way. We had a situation where potentially and most likely, offenders who might be sentenced for nine or 10 years were serving only three years. As I recall, that was the situation on-foot right through that time. Is that correct Attorney General? Mr J.A. McGinty : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We changed the law to remove the automatic one-third remission. Again, the opposition is accusing the government of somehow “not being strong enough” on crime and criminal issues, when the comparative record says exactly the opposite. We also have a situation in which the opposition has come up with a strategy - and good credit to it. When the opposition has nothing else going for it, it goes back to the old law and order arguments. The opposition has absolutely no other policy agenda. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That is fine. That is reasonable. I am not criticising the opposition. Mr R.F. Johnson : Blooming hopeless! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Blooming ‘opeless! Mr R.F. Johnson : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I am not criticising the opposition, I am giving it credit for coming up with a strategy, when it has nothing else. That is good. On the one hand, following the arguments put forward by the opposition for the last week or so, it is criticising the government for not being tough enough on law and order. Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Possibly. As I recall it, the situation in place allowed for two reductions of sentence. The first reduction was a one-third automatic remission introduced sometime in the late ‘80s or early ‘90s and the second reduction was a one-third reduction for parole purposes. Potentially, only one-third of a sentence was being served. Is that correct? Ms S.E. Walker : I am asking you. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think it is correct. We went through about eight years of Liberal government, when admittedly the member for Nedlands was not here. She is in the same fortunate position as the Leader of the National Party; she has only ever seen good government! Ms S.E. Walker : But I do know what I am talking about, and you do not. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That was a good line by the way. We had a situation where potentially and most likely, offenders who might be sentenced for nine or 10 years were serving only three years. As I recall, that was the situation on-foot right through that time. Is that correct Attorney General? Mr J.A. McGinty : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We changed the law to remove the automatic one-third remission. Again, the opposition is accusing the government of somehow “not being strong enough” on crime and criminal issues, when the comparative record says exactly the opposite. We also have a situation in which the opposition has come up with a strategy - and good credit to it. When the opposition has nothing else going for it, it goes back to the old law and order arguments. The opposition has absolutely no other policy agenda. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That is fine. That is reasonable. I am not criticising the opposition. Mr R.F. Johnson : Blooming hopeless! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Blooming ‘opeless! Mr R.F. Johnson : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I am not criticising the opposition, I am giving it credit for coming up with a strategy, when it has nothing else. That is good. On the one hand, following the arguments put forward by the opposition for the last week or so, it is criticising the government for not being tough enough on law and order. Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Ms S.E. Walker : I am asking you. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think it is correct. We went through about eight years of Liberal government, when admittedly the member for Nedlands was not here. She is in the same fortunate position as the Leader of the National Party; she has only ever seen good government! Ms S.E. Walker : But I do know what I am talking about, and you do not. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That was a good line by the way. We had a situation where potentially and most likely, offenders who might be sentenced for nine or 10 years were serving only three years. As I recall, that was the situation on-foot right through that time. Is that correct Attorney General? Mr J.A. McGinty : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We changed the law to remove the automatic one-third remission. Again, the opposition is accusing the government of somehow “not being strong enough” on crime and criminal issues, when the comparative record says exactly the opposite. We also have a situation in which the opposition has come up with a strategy - and good credit to it. When the opposition has nothing else going for it, it goes back to the old law and order arguments. The opposition has absolutely no other policy agenda. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That is fine. That is reasonable. I am not criticising the opposition. Mr R.F. Johnson : Blooming hopeless! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Blooming ‘opeless! Mr R.F. Johnson : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I am not criticising the opposition, I am giving it credit for coming up with a strategy, when it has nothing else. That is good. On the one hand, following the arguments put forward by the opposition for the last week or so, it is criticising the government for not being tough enough on law and order. Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think it is correct. We went through about eight years of Liberal government, when admittedly the member for Nedlands was not here. She is in the same fortunate position as the Leader of the National Party; she has only ever seen good government! Ms S.E. Walker : But I do know what I am talking about, and you do not. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That was a good line by the way. We had a situation where potentially and most likely, offenders who might be sentenced for nine or 10 years were serving only three years. As I recall, that was the situation on-foot right through that time. Is that correct Attorney General? Mr J.A. McGinty : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We changed the law to remove the automatic one-third remission. Again, the opposition is accusing the government of somehow “not being strong enough” on crime and criminal issues, when the comparative record says exactly the opposite. We also have a situation in which the opposition has come up with a strategy - and good credit to it. When the opposition has nothing else going for it, it goes back to the old law and order arguments. The opposition has absolutely no other policy agenda. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That is fine. That is reasonable. I am not criticising the opposition. Mr R.F. Johnson : Blooming hopeless! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Blooming ‘opeless! Mr R.F. Johnson : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I am not criticising the opposition, I am giving it credit for coming up with a strategy, when it has nothing else. That is good. On the one hand, following the arguments put forward by the opposition for the last week or so, it is criticising the government for not being tough enough on law and order. Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Ms S.E. Walker : But I do know what I am talking about, and you do not. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That was a good line by the way. We had a situation where potentially and most likely, offenders who might be sentenced for nine or 10 years were serving only three years. As I recall, that was the situation on-foot right through that time. Is that correct Attorney General? Mr J.A. McGinty : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We changed the law to remove the automatic one-third remission. Again, the opposition is accusing the government of somehow “not being strong enough” on crime and criminal issues, when the comparative record says exactly the opposite. We also have a situation in which the opposition has come up with a strategy - and good credit to it. When the opposition has nothing else going for it, it goes back to the old law and order arguments. The opposition has absolutely no other policy agenda. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That is fine. That is reasonable. I am not criticising the opposition. Mr R.F. Johnson : Blooming hopeless! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Blooming ‘opeless! Mr R.F. Johnson : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I am not criticising the opposition, I am giving it credit for coming up with a strategy, when it has nothing else. That is good. On the one hand, following the arguments put forward by the opposition for the last week or so, it is criticising the government for not being tough enough on law and order. Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That was a good line by the way. We had a situation where potentially and most likely, offenders who might be sentenced for nine or 10 years were serving only three years. As I recall, that was the situation on-foot right through that time. Is that correct Attorney General? Mr J.A. McGinty : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We changed the law to remove the automatic one-third remission. Again, the opposition is accusing the government of somehow “not being strong enough” on crime and criminal issues, when the comparative record says exactly the opposite. We also have a situation in which the opposition has come up with a strategy - and good credit to it. When the opposition has nothing else going for it, it goes back to the old law and order arguments. The opposition has absolutely no other policy agenda. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That is fine. That is reasonable. I am not criticising the opposition. Mr R.F. Johnson : Blooming hopeless! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Blooming ‘opeless! Mr R.F. Johnson : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I am not criticising the opposition, I am giving it credit for coming up with a strategy, when it has nothing else. That is good. On the one hand, following the arguments put forward by the opposition for the last week or so, it is criticising the government for not being tough enough on law and order. Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Mr J.A. McGinty : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We changed the law to remove the automatic one-third remission. Again, the opposition is accusing the government of somehow “not being strong enough” on crime and criminal issues, when the comparative record says exactly the opposite. We also have a situation in which the opposition has come up with a strategy - and good credit to it. When the opposition has nothing else going for it, it goes back to the old law and order arguments. The opposition has absolutely no other policy agenda. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That is fine. That is reasonable. I am not criticising the opposition. Mr R.F. Johnson : Blooming hopeless! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Blooming ‘opeless! Mr R.F. Johnson : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I am not criticising the opposition, I am giving it credit for coming up with a strategy, when it has nothing else. That is good. On the one hand, following the arguments put forward by the opposition for the last week or so, it is criticising the government for not being tough enough on law and order. Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We changed the law to remove the automatic one-third remission. Again, the opposition is accusing the government of somehow “not being strong enough” on crime and criminal issues, when the comparative record says exactly the opposite. We also have a situation in which the opposition has come up with a strategy - and good credit to it. When the opposition has nothing else going for it, it goes back to the old law and order arguments. The opposition has absolutely no other policy agenda. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That is fine. That is reasonable. I am not criticising the opposition. Mr R.F. Johnson : Blooming hopeless! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Blooming ‘opeless! Mr R.F. Johnson : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I am not criticising the opposition, I am giving it credit for coming up with a strategy, when it has nothing else. That is good. On the one hand, following the arguments put forward by the opposition for the last week or so, it is criticising the government for not being tough enough on law and order. Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That is fine. That is reasonable. I am not criticising the opposition. Mr R.F. Johnson : Blooming hopeless! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Blooming ‘opeless! Mr R.F. Johnson : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I am not criticising the opposition, I am giving it credit for coming up with a strategy, when it has nothing else. That is good. On the one hand, following the arguments put forward by the opposition for the last week or so, it is criticising the government for not being tough enough on law and order. Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That is fine. That is reasonable. I am not criticising the opposition. Mr R.F. Johnson : Blooming hopeless! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Blooming ‘opeless! Mr R.F. Johnson : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I am not criticising the opposition, I am giving it credit for coming up with a strategy, when it has nothing else. That is good. On the one hand, following the arguments put forward by the opposition for the last week or so, it is criticising the government for not being tough enough on law and order. Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Mr R.F. Johnson : Blooming hopeless! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Blooming ‘opeless! Mr R.F. Johnson : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I am not criticising the opposition, I am giving it credit for coming up with a strategy, when it has nothing else. That is good. On the one hand, following the arguments put forward by the opposition for the last week or so, it is criticising the government for not being tough enough on law and order. Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Blooming ‘opeless! Mr R.F. Johnson : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I am not criticising the opposition, I am giving it credit for coming up with a strategy, when it has nothing else. That is good. On the one hand, following the arguments put forward by the opposition for the last week or so, it is criticising the government for not being tough enough on law and order. Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Mr R.F. Johnson : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I am not criticising the opposition, I am giving it credit for coming up with a strategy, when it has nothing else. That is good. On the one hand, following the arguments put forward by the opposition for the last week or so, it is criticising the government for not being tough enough on law and order. Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I am not criticising the opposition, I am giving it credit for coming up with a strategy, when it has nothing else. That is good. On the one hand, following the arguments put forward by the opposition for the last week or so, it is criticising the government for not being tough enough on law and order. Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
(1) Is the Premier aware that the State Director of Public Prosecutions is unable to ask for, and the sentencing judge can never impose, that penalty because the government’s so-called truth in sentencing legislation only ever allows a maximum sentence of six years and four months? (2) Would the Premier therefore give bipartisan support for the introduction of a bill to repeal the provision that forces the courts to cut maximum penalties by one-third across most offences in Western Australia? Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: (1)-(2) I thank the member for Nedlands for the question. It is very kind of her to ask it. I am flattered. Ms S.E. Walker : Well, you did talk about drugs. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We did, and I give credit where credit is due for the member’s position on the drugs issue back in those days. I must try to put some historical perspective onto this as well. My recollection is that the member for Nedlands strongly supported the outcome she has just described. Ms S.E. Walker : I vehemently opposed it! I will give you the page number of Hansard . This side of the house vehemently opposed the Sentencing Legislation Amendment and Repeal Bill 2002. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Nedlands, I will look at it. However, the situation as I recall it - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Possibly. As I recall it, the situation in place allowed for two reductions of sentence. The first reduction was a one-third automatic remission introduced sometime in the late ‘80s or early ‘90s and the second reduction was a one-third reduction for parole purposes. Potentially, only one-third of a sentence was being served. Is that correct? Ms S.E. Walker : I am asking you. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think it is correct. We went through about eight years of Liberal government, when admittedly the member for Nedlands was not here. She is in the same fortunate position as the Leader of the National Party; she has only ever seen good government! Ms S.E. Walker : But I do know what I am talking about, and you do not. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That was a good line by the way. We had a situation where potentially and most likely, offenders who might be sentenced for nine or 10 years were serving only three years. As I recall, that was the situation on-foot right through that time. Is that correct Attorney General? Mr J.A. McGinty : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We changed the law to remove the automatic one-third remission. Again, the opposition is accusing the government of somehow “not being strong enough” on crime and criminal issues, when the comparative record says exactly the opposite. We also have a situation in which the opposition has come up with a strategy - and good credit to it. When the opposition has nothing else going for it, it goes back to the old law and order arguments. The opposition has absolutely no other policy agenda. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That is fine. That is reasonable. I am not criticising the opposition. Mr R.F. Johnson : Blooming hopeless! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Blooming ‘opeless! Mr R.F. Johnson : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I am not criticising the opposition, I am giving it credit for coming up with a strategy, when it has nothing else. That is good. On the one hand, following the arguments put forward by the opposition for the last week or so, it is criticising the government for not being tough enough on law and order. Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
(2) Would the Premier therefore give bipartisan support for the introduction of a bill to repeal the provision that forces the courts to cut maximum penalties by one-third across most offences in Western Australia? Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: (1)-(2) I thank the member for Nedlands for the question. It is very kind of her to ask it. I am flattered. Ms S.E. Walker : Well, you did talk about drugs. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We did, and I give credit where credit is due for the member’s position on the drugs issue back in those days. I must try to put some historical perspective onto this as well. My recollection is that the member for Nedlands strongly supported the outcome she has just described. Ms S.E. Walker : I vehemently opposed it! I will give you the page number of Hansard . This side of the house vehemently opposed the Sentencing Legislation Amendment and Repeal Bill 2002. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Nedlands, I will look at it. However, the situation as I recall it - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Possibly. As I recall it, the situation in place allowed for two reductions of sentence. The first reduction was a one-third automatic remission introduced sometime in the late ‘80s or early ‘90s and the second reduction was a one-third reduction for parole purposes. Potentially, only one-third of a sentence was being served. Is that correct? Ms S.E. Walker : I am asking you. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think it is correct. We went through about eight years of Liberal government, when admittedly the member for Nedlands was not here. She is in the same fortunate position as the Leader of the National Party; she has only ever seen good government! Ms S.E. Walker : But I do know what I am talking about, and you do not. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That was a good line by the way. We had a situation where potentially and most likely, offenders who might be sentenced for nine or 10 years were serving only three years. As I recall, that was the situation on-foot right through that time. Is that correct Attorney General? Mr J.A. McGinty : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We changed the law to remove the automatic one-third remission. Again, the opposition is accusing the government of somehow “not being strong enough” on crime and criminal issues, when the comparative record says exactly the opposite. We also have a situation in which the opposition has come up with a strategy - and good credit to it. When the opposition has nothing else going for it, it goes back to the old law and order arguments. The opposition has absolutely no other policy agenda. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That is fine. That is reasonable. I am not criticising the opposition. Mr R.F. Johnson : Blooming hopeless! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Blooming ‘opeless! Mr R.F. Johnson : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I am not criticising the opposition, I am giving it credit for coming up with a strategy, when it has nothing else. That is good. On the one hand, following the arguments put forward by the opposition for the last week or so, it is criticising the government for not being tough enough on law and order. Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: (1)-(2) I thank the member for Nedlands for the question. It is very kind of her to ask it. I am flattered. Ms S.E. Walker : Well, you did talk about drugs. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We did, and I give credit where credit is due for the member’s position on the drugs issue back in those days. I must try to put some historical perspective onto this as well. My recollection is that the member for Nedlands strongly supported the outcome she has just described. Ms S.E. Walker : I vehemently opposed it! I will give you the page number of Hansard . This side of the house vehemently opposed the Sentencing Legislation Amendment and Repeal Bill 2002. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Nedlands, I will look at it. However, the situation as I recall it - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Possibly. As I recall it, the situation in place allowed for two reductions of sentence. The first reduction was a one-third automatic remission introduced sometime in the late ‘80s or early ‘90s and the second reduction was a one-third reduction for parole purposes. Potentially, only one-third of a sentence was being served. Is that correct? Ms S.E. Walker : I am asking you. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think it is correct. We went through about eight years of Liberal government, when admittedly the member for Nedlands was not here. She is in the same fortunate position as the Leader of the National Party; she has only ever seen good government! Ms S.E. Walker : But I do know what I am talking about, and you do not. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That was a good line by the way. We had a situation where potentially and most likely, offenders who might be sentenced for nine or 10 years were serving only three years. As I recall, that was the situation on-foot right through that time. Is that correct Attorney General? Mr J.A. McGinty : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We changed the law to remove the automatic one-third remission. Again, the opposition is accusing the government of somehow “not being strong enough” on crime and criminal issues, when the comparative record says exactly the opposite. We also have a situation in which the opposition has come up with a strategy - and good credit to it. When the opposition has nothing else going for it, it goes back to the old law and order arguments. The opposition has absolutely no other policy agenda. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That is fine. That is reasonable. I am not criticising the opposition. Mr R.F. Johnson : Blooming hopeless! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Blooming ‘opeless! Mr R.F. Johnson : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I am not criticising the opposition, I am giving it credit for coming up with a strategy, when it has nothing else. That is good. On the one hand, following the arguments put forward by the opposition for the last week or so, it is criticising the government for not being tough enough on law and order. Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
(1)-(2) I thank the member for Nedlands for the question. It is very kind of her to ask it. I am flattered. Ms S.E. Walker : Well, you did talk about drugs. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We did, and I give credit where credit is due for the member’s position on the drugs issue back in those days. I must try to put some historical perspective onto this as well. My recollection is that the member for Nedlands strongly supported the outcome she has just described. Ms S.E. Walker : I vehemently opposed it! I will give you the page number of Hansard . This side of the house vehemently opposed the Sentencing Legislation Amendment and Repeal Bill 2002. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Nedlands, I will look at it. However, the situation as I recall it - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Possibly. As I recall it, the situation in place allowed for two reductions of sentence. The first reduction was a one-third automatic remission introduced sometime in the late ‘80s or early ‘90s and the second reduction was a one-third reduction for parole purposes. Potentially, only one-third of a sentence was being served. Is that correct? Ms S.E. Walker : I am asking you. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think it is correct. We went through about eight years of Liberal government, when admittedly the member for Nedlands was not here. She is in the same fortunate position as the Leader of the National Party; she has only ever seen good government! Ms S.E. Walker : But I do know what I am talking about, and you do not. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That was a good line by the way. We had a situation where potentially and most likely, offenders who might be sentenced for nine or 10 years were serving only three years. As I recall, that was the situation on-foot right through that time. Is that correct Attorney General? Mr J.A. McGinty : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We changed the law to remove the automatic one-third remission. Again, the opposition is accusing the government of somehow “not being strong enough” on crime and criminal issues, when the comparative record says exactly the opposite. We also have a situation in which the opposition has come up with a strategy - and good credit to it. When the opposition has nothing else going for it, it goes back to the old law and order arguments. The opposition has absolutely no other policy agenda. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That is fine. That is reasonable. I am not criticising the opposition. Mr R.F. Johnson : Blooming hopeless! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Blooming ‘opeless! Mr R.F. Johnson : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I am not criticising the opposition, I am giving it credit for coming up with a strategy, when it has nothing else. That is good. On the one hand, following the arguments put forward by the opposition for the last week or so, it is criticising the government for not being tough enough on law and order. Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Ms S.E. Walker : Well, you did talk about drugs. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We did, and I give credit where credit is due for the member’s position on the drugs issue back in those days. I must try to put some historical perspective onto this as well. My recollection is that the member for Nedlands strongly supported the outcome she has just described. Ms S.E. Walker : I vehemently opposed it! I will give you the page number of Hansard . This side of the house vehemently opposed the Sentencing Legislation Amendment and Repeal Bill 2002. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Nedlands, I will look at it. However, the situation as I recall it - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Possibly. As I recall it, the situation in place allowed for two reductions of sentence. The first reduction was a one-third automatic remission introduced sometime in the late ‘80s or early ‘90s and the second reduction was a one-third reduction for parole purposes. Potentially, only one-third of a sentence was being served. Is that correct? Ms S.E. Walker : I am asking you. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think it is correct. We went through about eight years of Liberal government, when admittedly the member for Nedlands was not here. She is in the same fortunate position as the Leader of the National Party; she has only ever seen good government! Ms S.E. Walker : But I do know what I am talking about, and you do not. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That was a good line by the way. We had a situation where potentially and most likely, offenders who might be sentenced for nine or 10 years were serving only three years. As I recall, that was the situation on-foot right through that time. Is that correct Attorney General? Mr J.A. McGinty : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We changed the law to remove the automatic one-third remission. Again, the opposition is accusing the government of somehow “not being strong enough” on crime and criminal issues, when the comparative record says exactly the opposite. We also have a situation in which the opposition has come up with a strategy - and good credit to it. When the opposition has nothing else going for it, it goes back to the old law and order arguments. The opposition has absolutely no other policy agenda. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That is fine. That is reasonable. I am not criticising the opposition. Mr R.F. Johnson : Blooming hopeless! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Blooming ‘opeless! Mr R.F. Johnson : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I am not criticising the opposition, I am giving it credit for coming up with a strategy, when it has nothing else. That is good. On the one hand, following the arguments put forward by the opposition for the last week or so, it is criticising the government for not being tough enough on law and order. Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We did, and I give credit where credit is due for the member’s position on the drugs issue back in those days. I must try to put some historical perspective onto this as well. My recollection is that the member for Nedlands strongly supported the outcome she has just described. Ms S.E. Walker : I vehemently opposed it! I will give you the page number of Hansard . This side of the house vehemently opposed the Sentencing Legislation Amendment and Repeal Bill 2002. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Nedlands, I will look at it. However, the situation as I recall it - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Possibly. As I recall it, the situation in place allowed for two reductions of sentence. The first reduction was a one-third automatic remission introduced sometime in the late ‘80s or early ‘90s and the second reduction was a one-third reduction for parole purposes. Potentially, only one-third of a sentence was being served. Is that correct? Ms S.E. Walker : I am asking you. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think it is correct. We went through about eight years of Liberal government, when admittedly the member for Nedlands was not here. She is in the same fortunate position as the Leader of the National Party; she has only ever seen good government! Ms S.E. Walker : But I do know what I am talking about, and you do not. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That was a good line by the way. We had a situation where potentially and most likely, offenders who might be sentenced for nine or 10 years were serving only three years. As I recall, that was the situation on-foot right through that time. Is that correct Attorney General? Mr J.A. McGinty : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We changed the law to remove the automatic one-third remission. Again, the opposition is accusing the government of somehow “not being strong enough” on crime and criminal issues, when the comparative record says exactly the opposite. We also have a situation in which the opposition has come up with a strategy - and good credit to it. When the opposition has nothing else going for it, it goes back to the old law and order arguments. The opposition has absolutely no other policy agenda. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That is fine. That is reasonable. I am not criticising the opposition. Mr R.F. Johnson : Blooming hopeless! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Blooming ‘opeless! Mr R.F. Johnson : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I am not criticising the opposition, I am giving it credit for coming up with a strategy, when it has nothing else. That is good. On the one hand, following the arguments put forward by the opposition for the last week or so, it is criticising the government for not being tough enough on law and order. Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Ms S.E. Walker : I vehemently opposed it! I will give you the page number of Hansard . This side of the house vehemently opposed the Sentencing Legislation Amendment and Repeal Bill 2002. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Nedlands, I will look at it. However, the situation as I recall it - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Possibly. As I recall it, the situation in place allowed for two reductions of sentence. The first reduction was a one-third automatic remission introduced sometime in the late ‘80s or early ‘90s and the second reduction was a one-third reduction for parole purposes. Potentially, only one-third of a sentence was being served. Is that correct? Ms S.E. Walker : I am asking you. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think it is correct. We went through about eight years of Liberal government, when admittedly the member for Nedlands was not here. She is in the same fortunate position as the Leader of the National Party; she has only ever seen good government! Ms S.E. Walker : But I do know what I am talking about, and you do not. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That was a good line by the way. We had a situation where potentially and most likely, offenders who might be sentenced for nine or 10 years were serving only three years. As I recall, that was the situation on-foot right through that time. Is that correct Attorney General? Mr J.A. McGinty : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We changed the law to remove the automatic one-third remission. Again, the opposition is accusing the government of somehow “not being strong enough” on crime and criminal issues, when the comparative record says exactly the opposite. We also have a situation in which the opposition has come up with a strategy - and good credit to it. When the opposition has nothing else going for it, it goes back to the old law and order arguments. The opposition has absolutely no other policy agenda. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That is fine. That is reasonable. I am not criticising the opposition. Mr R.F. Johnson : Blooming hopeless! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Blooming ‘opeless! Mr R.F. Johnson : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I am not criticising the opposition, I am giving it credit for coming up with a strategy, when it has nothing else. That is good. On the one hand, following the arguments put forward by the opposition for the last week or so, it is criticising the government for not being tough enough on law and order. Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Nedlands, I will look at it. However, the situation as I recall it - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Possibly. As I recall it, the situation in place allowed for two reductions of sentence. The first reduction was a one-third automatic remission introduced sometime in the late ‘80s or early ‘90s and the second reduction was a one-third reduction for parole purposes. Potentially, only one-third of a sentence was being served. Is that correct? Ms S.E. Walker : I am asking you. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think it is correct. We went through about eight years of Liberal government, when admittedly the member for Nedlands was not here. She is in the same fortunate position as the Leader of the National Party; she has only ever seen good government! Ms S.E. Walker : But I do know what I am talking about, and you do not. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That was a good line by the way. We had a situation where potentially and most likely, offenders who might be sentenced for nine or 10 years were serving only three years. As I recall, that was the situation on-foot right through that time. Is that correct Attorney General? Mr J.A. McGinty : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We changed the law to remove the automatic one-third remission. Again, the opposition is accusing the government of somehow “not being strong enough” on crime and criminal issues, when the comparative record says exactly the opposite. We also have a situation in which the opposition has come up with a strategy - and good credit to it. When the opposition has nothing else going for it, it goes back to the old law and order arguments. The opposition has absolutely no other policy agenda. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That is fine. That is reasonable. I am not criticising the opposition. Mr R.F. Johnson : Blooming hopeless! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Blooming ‘opeless! Mr R.F. Johnson : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I am not criticising the opposition, I am giving it credit for coming up with a strategy, when it has nothing else. That is good. On the one hand, following the arguments put forward by the opposition for the last week or so, it is criticising the government for not being tough enough on law and order. Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Possibly. As I recall it, the situation in place allowed for two reductions of sentence. The first reduction was a one-third automatic remission introduced sometime in the late ‘80s or early ‘90s and the second reduction was a one-third reduction for parole purposes. Potentially, only one-third of a sentence was being served. Is that correct? Ms S.E. Walker : I am asking you. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think it is correct. We went through about eight years of Liberal government, when admittedly the member for Nedlands was not here. She is in the same fortunate position as the Leader of the National Party; she has only ever seen good government! Ms S.E. Walker : But I do know what I am talking about, and you do not. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That was a good line by the way. We had a situation where potentially and most likely, offenders who might be sentenced for nine or 10 years were serving only three years. As I recall, that was the situation on-foot right through that time. Is that correct Attorney General? Mr J.A. McGinty : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We changed the law to remove the automatic one-third remission. Again, the opposition is accusing the government of somehow “not being strong enough” on crime and criminal issues, when the comparative record says exactly the opposite. We also have a situation in which the opposition has come up with a strategy - and good credit to it. When the opposition has nothing else going for it, it goes back to the old law and order arguments. The opposition has absolutely no other policy agenda. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That is fine. That is reasonable. I am not criticising the opposition. Mr R.F. Johnson : Blooming hopeless! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Blooming ‘opeless! Mr R.F. Johnson : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I am not criticising the opposition, I am giving it credit for coming up with a strategy, when it has nothing else. That is good. On the one hand, following the arguments put forward by the opposition for the last week or so, it is criticising the government for not being tough enough on law and order. Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Possibly. As I recall it, the situation in place allowed for two reductions of sentence. The first reduction was a one-third automatic remission introduced sometime in the late ‘80s or early ‘90s and the second reduction was a one-third reduction for parole purposes. Potentially, only one-third of a sentence was being served. Is that correct? Ms S.E. Walker : I am asking you. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think it is correct. We went through about eight years of Liberal government, when admittedly the member for Nedlands was not here. She is in the same fortunate position as the Leader of the National Party; she has only ever seen good government! Ms S.E. Walker : But I do know what I am talking about, and you do not. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That was a good line by the way. We had a situation where potentially and most likely, offenders who might be sentenced for nine or 10 years were serving only three years. As I recall, that was the situation on-foot right through that time. Is that correct Attorney General? Mr J.A. McGinty : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We changed the law to remove the automatic one-third remission. Again, the opposition is accusing the government of somehow “not being strong enough” on crime and criminal issues, when the comparative record says exactly the opposite. We also have a situation in which the opposition has come up with a strategy - and good credit to it. When the opposition has nothing else going for it, it goes back to the old law and order arguments. The opposition has absolutely no other policy agenda. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That is fine. That is reasonable. I am not criticising the opposition. Mr R.F. Johnson : Blooming hopeless! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Blooming ‘opeless! Mr R.F. Johnson : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I am not criticising the opposition, I am giving it credit for coming up with a strategy, when it has nothing else. That is good. On the one hand, following the arguments put forward by the opposition for the last week or so, it is criticising the government for not being tough enough on law and order. Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Ms S.E. Walker : I am asking you. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think it is correct. We went through about eight years of Liberal government, when admittedly the member for Nedlands was not here. She is in the same fortunate position as the Leader of the National Party; she has only ever seen good government! Ms S.E. Walker : But I do know what I am talking about, and you do not. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That was a good line by the way. We had a situation where potentially and most likely, offenders who might be sentenced for nine or 10 years were serving only three years. As I recall, that was the situation on-foot right through that time. Is that correct Attorney General? Mr J.A. McGinty : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We changed the law to remove the automatic one-third remission. Again, the opposition is accusing the government of somehow “not being strong enough” on crime and criminal issues, when the comparative record says exactly the opposite. We also have a situation in which the opposition has come up with a strategy - and good credit to it. When the opposition has nothing else going for it, it goes back to the old law and order arguments. The opposition has absolutely no other policy agenda. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That is fine. That is reasonable. I am not criticising the opposition. Mr R.F. Johnson : Blooming hopeless! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Blooming ‘opeless! Mr R.F. Johnson : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I am not criticising the opposition, I am giving it credit for coming up with a strategy, when it has nothing else. That is good. On the one hand, following the arguments put forward by the opposition for the last week or so, it is criticising the government for not being tough enough on law and order. Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think it is correct. We went through about eight years of Liberal government, when admittedly the member for Nedlands was not here. She is in the same fortunate position as the Leader of the National Party; she has only ever seen good government! Ms S.E. Walker : But I do know what I am talking about, and you do not. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That was a good line by the way. We had a situation where potentially and most likely, offenders who might be sentenced for nine or 10 years were serving only three years. As I recall, that was the situation on-foot right through that time. Is that correct Attorney General? Mr J.A. McGinty : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We changed the law to remove the automatic one-third remission. Again, the opposition is accusing the government of somehow “not being strong enough” on crime and criminal issues, when the comparative record says exactly the opposite. We also have a situation in which the opposition has come up with a strategy - and good credit to it. When the opposition has nothing else going for it, it goes back to the old law and order arguments. The opposition has absolutely no other policy agenda. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That is fine. That is reasonable. I am not criticising the opposition. Mr R.F. Johnson : Blooming hopeless! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Blooming ‘opeless! Mr R.F. Johnson : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I am not criticising the opposition, I am giving it credit for coming up with a strategy, when it has nothing else. That is good. On the one hand, following the arguments put forward by the opposition for the last week or so, it is criticising the government for not being tough enough on law and order. Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Ms S.E. Walker : But I do know what I am talking about, and you do not. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That was a good line by the way. We had a situation where potentially and most likely, offenders who might be sentenced for nine or 10 years were serving only three years. As I recall, that was the situation on-foot right through that time. Is that correct Attorney General? Mr J.A. McGinty : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We changed the law to remove the automatic one-third remission. Again, the opposition is accusing the government of somehow “not being strong enough” on crime and criminal issues, when the comparative record says exactly the opposite. We also have a situation in which the opposition has come up with a strategy - and good credit to it. When the opposition has nothing else going for it, it goes back to the old law and order arguments. The opposition has absolutely no other policy agenda. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That is fine. That is reasonable. I am not criticising the opposition. Mr R.F. Johnson : Blooming hopeless! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Blooming ‘opeless! Mr R.F. Johnson : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I am not criticising the opposition, I am giving it credit for coming up with a strategy, when it has nothing else. That is good. On the one hand, following the arguments put forward by the opposition for the last week or so, it is criticising the government for not being tough enough on law and order. Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That was a good line by the way. We had a situation where potentially and most likely, offenders who might be sentenced for nine or 10 years were serving only three years. As I recall, that was the situation on-foot right through that time. Is that correct Attorney General? Mr J.A. McGinty : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We changed the law to remove the automatic one-third remission. Again, the opposition is accusing the government of somehow “not being strong enough” on crime and criminal issues, when the comparative record says exactly the opposite. We also have a situation in which the opposition has come up with a strategy - and good credit to it. When the opposition has nothing else going for it, it goes back to the old law and order arguments. The opposition has absolutely no other policy agenda. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That is fine. That is reasonable. I am not criticising the opposition. Mr R.F. Johnson : Blooming hopeless! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Blooming ‘opeless! Mr R.F. Johnson : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I am not criticising the opposition, I am giving it credit for coming up with a strategy, when it has nothing else. That is good. On the one hand, following the arguments put forward by the opposition for the last week or so, it is criticising the government for not being tough enough on law and order. Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Mr J.A. McGinty : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We changed the law to remove the automatic one-third remission. Again, the opposition is accusing the government of somehow “not being strong enough” on crime and criminal issues, when the comparative record says exactly the opposite. We also have a situation in which the opposition has come up with a strategy - and good credit to it. When the opposition has nothing else going for it, it goes back to the old law and order arguments. The opposition has absolutely no other policy agenda. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That is fine. That is reasonable. I am not criticising the opposition. Mr R.F. Johnson : Blooming hopeless! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Blooming ‘opeless! Mr R.F. Johnson : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I am not criticising the opposition, I am giving it credit for coming up with a strategy, when it has nothing else. That is good. On the one hand, following the arguments put forward by the opposition for the last week or so, it is criticising the government for not being tough enough on law and order. Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We changed the law to remove the automatic one-third remission. Again, the opposition is accusing the government of somehow “not being strong enough” on crime and criminal issues, when the comparative record says exactly the opposite. We also have a situation in which the opposition has come up with a strategy - and good credit to it. When the opposition has nothing else going for it, it goes back to the old law and order arguments. The opposition has absolutely no other policy agenda. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That is fine. That is reasonable. I am not criticising the opposition. Mr R.F. Johnson : Blooming hopeless! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Blooming ‘opeless! Mr R.F. Johnson : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I am not criticising the opposition, I am giving it credit for coming up with a strategy, when it has nothing else. That is good. On the one hand, following the arguments put forward by the opposition for the last week or so, it is criticising the government for not being tough enough on law and order. Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That is fine. That is reasonable. I am not criticising the opposition. Mr R.F. Johnson : Blooming hopeless! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Blooming ‘opeless! Mr R.F. Johnson : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I am not criticising the opposition, I am giving it credit for coming up with a strategy, when it has nothing else. That is good. On the one hand, following the arguments put forward by the opposition for the last week or so, it is criticising the government for not being tough enough on law and order. Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : That is fine. That is reasonable. I am not criticising the opposition. Mr R.F. Johnson : Blooming hopeless! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Blooming ‘opeless! Mr R.F. Johnson : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I am not criticising the opposition, I am giving it credit for coming up with a strategy, when it has nothing else. That is good. On the one hand, following the arguments put forward by the opposition for the last week or so, it is criticising the government for not being tough enough on law and order. Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Mr R.F. Johnson : Blooming hopeless! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Blooming ‘opeless! Mr R.F. Johnson : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I am not criticising the opposition, I am giving it credit for coming up with a strategy, when it has nothing else. That is good. On the one hand, following the arguments put forward by the opposition for the last week or so, it is criticising the government for not being tough enough on law and order. Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Blooming ‘opeless! Mr R.F. Johnson : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I am not criticising the opposition, I am giving it credit for coming up with a strategy, when it has nothing else. That is good. On the one hand, following the arguments put forward by the opposition for the last week or so, it is criticising the government for not being tough enough on law and order. Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Mr R.F. Johnson : Yes. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I am not criticising the opposition, I am giving it credit for coming up with a strategy, when it has nothing else. That is good. On the one hand, following the arguments put forward by the opposition for the last week or so, it is criticising the government for not being tough enough on law and order. Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I am not criticising the opposition, I am giving it credit for coming up with a strategy, when it has nothing else. That is good. On the one hand, following the arguments put forward by the opposition for the last week or so, it is criticising the government for not being tough enough on law and order. Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Ms S.E. Walker : No. I am criticising it for not allowing the judges to access the maximum penalty for offences laid down in the Criminal Code, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Road Traffic Act, and you are stopping them - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Well, I think I have addressed that. On the other hand the opposition has introduced a stream of argument criticising the government because the prisons are overpopulated. Is that correct? The opposition did that last week, did it not? I thought it did. I suggest that the opposition should - Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Leader of the Opposition, I went to some pains last week to walk members through the statistics related to drug use in Western Australia. I tried to demonstrate to anybody who had any capacity to absorb information that the situation under the current government’s policies is dramatically better than the situation that existed under the policies of the previous Liberal government. Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Mr R.F. Johnson : How can you say that with the increase in violent crimes? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I can take that on board as well. I listened to what the member for Hillarys said about the increase in violent crimes and I listened to none other than the police commissioner deconstruct the member for Hillary’s argument and put a little bit of truth into it. The member finds that quite difficult to deal with because it was not a politician who deconstructed his argument; it was actually the - Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What was that, Leader of the Opposition? Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Mr P.D. Omodei : It was an admission that he was not doing his job properly and nor are you. There is an ice epidemic in Western Australia. Deny that. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We will leave it at that. I have explained the position. I will check Hansard and see how the member voted.
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