❓ Mr Love questions the Premier on acting on recommendations from a review of the Firearms Act. The Premier commits to listening to findings but defends the government's reforms, criticising the Nationals and urging the Liberals to support them.
AnsweredQoN 180Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Firearms Act
180. Mr Shane Love to the Premier:
I have a supplementary
question. The government's own members have now supported a review of this
legislation. Will the government undertake to listen to the recommendations
that come from that review and to act as necessary to make changes to make this
into workable legislation?
Ms Amber-Jade Sanderson interjected.
The Speaker: Minister! Premier.
180. Mr Shane Love to the Premier:
I have a supplementary
question. The government's own members have now supported a review of this
legislation. Will the government undertake to listen to the recommendations
that come from that review and to act as necessary to make changes to make this
into workable legislation?
Ms Amber-Jade Sanderson interjected.
The Speaker: Minister! Premier.
AnswerView source ↗
Obviously, we will always
listen to the findings and deliberations of parliamentary committees. We are
committed to parliamentary democracy; it is what we do in this place. We will
also listen to women and we will listen to the women who support those women in
the fight against family and domestic violence.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members! Leader of the National Party! Carry
on, Premier.
Mr Roger Cook: Our government wants WA to be the
safest place in the world. That is why our reforms take guns from domestic
violence offenders, double the penalties for gun crimes, outlaw very high powered
firearms, introduce basic health checks for gun owners and overhaul the corrupt
property letter system. They are basic reforms that were called for by the
Pastoralists and Graziers Association of WA, the WA Farmers Federation, Gun
Control Australia and, obviously, by people associated with supporting victims
of family and domestic violence. We know that the Nationals WA want to turn
these reforms back.
Mr Shane Love interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the National Party!
Ms Cassie Rowe interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Belmont!
Mr Shane Love interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Nationals!
Mr Roger Cook: We know what the Nationals' position on
this is; that is very clear. They have taken their position and that is the bed
they have to lie in. The opportunity is now for the Liberal Party. We are
seeing the Nationals drag the Liberals further and further to the extremes of
the right, and that is the world they currently occupy. I appreciate that; they
are finding some votes over there, good for them.
You, my friend, you have a job, a moral
responsibility.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Government members, minister, Leader of
the Opposition, thank you. The Premier is going to make his concluding remarks.
Mr Roger Cook: Look, this is a serious issue. It
really does not deserve the vaudeville that we see coming from the other side
of the moment. This is a serious issue, so I invite and I implore the Liberal
Party: come back to the centre, come back to where most Western Australians
lie, come back to the moral centre of this particular debate and oppose the
disallowance motion. The fact that we supported the motion to continue to look
at the laws and allow the parliamentary committee to undertake that activity is
a sign that we understand that gun law reform is a constant process, but we do
not want the Liberal Party—
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members of the opposition! Member for
Bateman!
Mr Roger Cook: I am sorry that Liberal Party members think
that they can interject and try to deteriorate the tone that this debate
deserves. It is up to the Liberal Party now to stand up to the National Party
once and for all, oppose the disallowance in the upper house and make sure that
we can get on and keep Western Australia a safer place for everyone to live.
listen to the findings and deliberations of parliamentary committees. We are
committed to parliamentary democracy; it is what we do in this place. We will
also listen to women and we will listen to the women who support those women in
the fight against family and domestic violence.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members! Leader of the National Party! Carry
on, Premier.
Mr Roger Cook: Our government wants WA to be the
safest place in the world. That is why our reforms take guns from domestic
violence offenders, double the penalties for gun crimes, outlaw very high powered
firearms, introduce basic health checks for gun owners and overhaul the corrupt
property letter system. They are basic reforms that were called for by the
Pastoralists and Graziers Association of WA, the WA Farmers Federation, Gun
Control Australia and, obviously, by people associated with supporting victims
of family and domestic violence. We know that the Nationals WA want to turn
these reforms back.
Mr Shane Love interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the National Party!
Ms Cassie Rowe interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Belmont!
Mr Shane Love interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Nationals!
Mr Roger Cook: We know what the Nationals' position on
this is; that is very clear. They have taken their position and that is the bed
they have to lie in. The opportunity is now for the Liberal Party. We are
seeing the Nationals drag the Liberals further and further to the extremes of
the right, and that is the world they currently occupy. I appreciate that; they
are finding some votes over there, good for them.
You, my friend, you have a job, a moral
responsibility.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Government members, minister, Leader of
the Opposition, thank you. The Premier is going to make his concluding remarks.
Mr Roger Cook: Look, this is a serious issue. It
really does not deserve the vaudeville that we see coming from the other side
of the moment. This is a serious issue, so I invite and I implore the Liberal
Party: come back to the centre, come back to where most Western Australians
lie, come back to the moral centre of this particular debate and oppose the
disallowance motion. The fact that we supported the motion to continue to look
at the laws and allow the parliamentary committee to undertake that activity is
a sign that we understand that gun law reform is a constant process, but we do
not want the Liberal Party—
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members of the opposition! Member for
Bateman!
Mr Roger Cook: I am sorry that Liberal Party members think
that they can interject and try to deteriorate the tone that this debate
deserves. It is up to the Liberal Party now to stand up to the National Party
once and for all, oppose the disallowance in the upper house and make sure that
we can get on and keep Western Australia a safer place for everyone to live.
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