A WA parliamentary question regarding WA Police's desire to conduct random alcohol and drug testing of boat skippers. The Attorney General, representing the Minister for Police, clarifies that while impaired boating is illegal, WA Police are not currently seeking random testing powers, deferring to the Department of Transport.

AnsweredQoN 64Legislative Council
Asked
19 February 2015
Portfolio
Police

QuestionView source ↗

BOAT
SKIPPERS — RANDOM BREATH TESTING
64. Hon KEN TRAVERS to the Attorney General representing
Minister for Police:
I refer to assistant police
commissioner Michelle Fyfe's comments in The West Australian of October 2010 that police want the ability to
conduct random tests so that they can remove alcohol and drug-affected boat
skippers from all inland and coastal waterways.
(1) Does WA Police still want the ability to randomly test
boat skippers for alcohol and drug use?
(2) If no to (1), why not?
(3) If yes to (1), did WA Police put
a proposal to the Department of Transport?
(4) If no to (3), why not?
(5) If yes to (3), on what date was this proposal made?

AnswerView source ↗

On behalf of the Minister for
Police, I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question.
(1)–(3) It is an offence under
the Western Australian Marine Act 1982 to be impaired by drugs or alcohol while
in control of a boat. Responsibility for the administration, amendment and
enforcement of the act rests with the Minister for Transport and the Department
of Transport as the lead agency. WA Police is not seeking to randomly test boat
skippers at this point in time.
(4)–(5) Not applicable.

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