❓ Question regarding the Premier's position on life jacket regulations, drawing a comparison to mandatory helmet and seatbelt laws. The Premier responds that the consultation paper proposes toughening existing life jacket requirements.
AnsweredQoN 1031Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
LIFE JACKETS
1031. Ms L. METTAM to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question.
Given that —
Ms S. Winton interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Wanneroo, I call you to order for the second time.
Ms L. METTAM : Given that the
law requires that bicycle helmets and seatbelts must be worn within 400 metres
of home, why would the Premier continue with this foolish position statement —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Ms R. Saffioti : You're
wrong again. You're never across the facts.
The SPEAKER : Minister!
Ms L. METTAM : And you say you
are delivering transport.
Ms R. Saffioti interjected.
The SPEAKER : Minister for
Transport, I call you to order for the first time.
Ms L. METTAM : I have touched
a nerve. Given that the law requires that bicycle helmets and seatbelts must be
worn within 400 metres of home —
Mr D.J. Kelly interjected.
The SPEAKER : Minister for
Water, I call you to order for the first time. Start again.
Ms L. METTAM : Given that the
law requires that bicycle helmets and seatbelts must be worn within 400 metres of
home, why would the Premier continue with this foolish position statement that
sends a completely confused message?
Mr M.P. Murray interjected.
The SPEAKER : Minister for
Sport and Recreation, I call you to order for the first time.
1031. Ms L. METTAM to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question.
Given that —
Ms S. Winton interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Wanneroo, I call you to order for the second time.
Ms L. METTAM : Given that the
law requires that bicycle helmets and seatbelts must be worn within 400 metres
of home, why would the Premier continue with this foolish position statement —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Ms R. Saffioti : You're
wrong again. You're never across the facts.
The SPEAKER : Minister!
Ms L. METTAM : And you say you
are delivering transport.
Ms R. Saffioti interjected.
The SPEAKER : Minister for
Transport, I call you to order for the first time.
Ms L. METTAM : I have touched
a nerve. Given that the law requires that bicycle helmets and seatbelts must be
worn within 400 metres of home —
Mr D.J. Kelly interjected.
The SPEAKER : Minister for
Water, I call you to order for the first time. Start again.
Ms L. METTAM : Given that the
law requires that bicycle helmets and seatbelts must be worn within 400 metres of
home, why would the Premier continue with this foolish position statement that
sends a completely confused message?
Mr M.P. Murray interjected.
The SPEAKER : Minister for
Sport and Recreation, I call you to order for the first time.
AnswerView source ↗
Obviously, I was away last week and
missed some of this scaremongering by the member for Vasse. The Minister for
Transport advises me that the consultation paper is toughening the requirements
for wearing life jackets on what currently exists. The member for Vasse has
taken the advice of someone, or someone sent her an email—whatever her
normal research process is. Someone on the street may have said something to
her, she misinterpreted something and therefore it became fact in her mind. I repeat:
the process is currently going on for consultation around these issues. The
advice I have is that it proposes a toughening of the requirement to wear life
jackets that currently exists. Obviously, we need to consult the community
about these sorts of things.
I personally think that life jackets
are important when we are on the ocean. When I take my own children out on the
ocean, I ensure—against their objections, I might add—that they
wear life jackets. Obviously, if we are crabbing in the Peel–Harvey
estuary, walking up to our knees in water, I am not sure that we need to wear a
life jacket. I personally support life jackets.
Mr S.K. L'Estrange :
And you were in the Navy.
The SPEAKER : Well, you were
in the Army and I am calling you to order for the second time.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I am advised
that it toughens it up. You might also note, Mr Speaker, that Labor ministers
brought in the requirement to wear a helmet when riding a bike or to have a skipper's
ticket when on the ocean. We obviously support safety initiatives when it comes
to activities that could be interpreted as having an element of danger, but in
relation to this one, the advice I have is that the process is recommending a toughening
of the existing situation.
The SPEAKER : Members, that is
the end of question time.
missed some of this scaremongering by the member for Vasse. The Minister for
Transport advises me that the consultation paper is toughening the requirements
for wearing life jackets on what currently exists. The member for Vasse has
taken the advice of someone, or someone sent her an email—whatever her
normal research process is. Someone on the street may have said something to
her, she misinterpreted something and therefore it became fact in her mind. I repeat:
the process is currently going on for consultation around these issues. The
advice I have is that it proposes a toughening of the requirement to wear life
jackets that currently exists. Obviously, we need to consult the community
about these sorts of things.
I personally think that life jackets
are important when we are on the ocean. When I take my own children out on the
ocean, I ensure—against their objections, I might add—that they
wear life jackets. Obviously, if we are crabbing in the Peel–Harvey
estuary, walking up to our knees in water, I am not sure that we need to wear a
life jacket. I personally support life jackets.
Mr S.K. L'Estrange :
And you were in the Navy.
The SPEAKER : Well, you were
in the Army and I am calling you to order for the second time.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I am advised
that it toughens it up. You might also note, Mr Speaker, that Labor ministers
brought in the requirement to wear a helmet when riding a bike or to have a skipper's
ticket when on the ocean. We obviously support safety initiatives when it comes
to activities that could be interpreted as having an element of danger, but in
relation to this one, the advice I have is that the process is recommending a toughening
of the existing situation.
The SPEAKER : Members, that is
the end of question time.
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