Dr. Woollard raises concerns about passive smoking in Parliament House and seeks action from the Minister, who deflects responsibility to the Speaker, recommending Nicabate.

AnsweredQoN 921Legislative Assembly
Asked
29 November 2006
Portfolio
Employment Protection

QuestionView source ↗

PASSIVE SMOKING - PARLIAMENT HOUSE
(1) Is the minister aware that in the courtyards, on the verandas and in some enclosed spaces in Parliament House ashtrays remain in place, which of course attracts smokers to those areas? (2) Has the minister’s attention been drawn to the fact that this means that schoolchildren, parliamentary staff and members are regularly and consistently exposed to the ill-effects of passive smoking? (3) Will the minister inquire of the Speaker of this house what action he has taken to remedy this extremely detrimental health situation? (4) If the Speaker does not intend to take immediate action, what measures can the minister take to relieve the problem? Mr J.J.M. BOWLER

AnswerView source ↗

(1)-(4) I thank the member for the question and I appreciate her concern for all Western Australian workers. The member always seems to be on someone’s case somewhere, and that is good. I think the member answered her first three questions with the last question, when she mentioned the Speaker. The Speaker controls the operations in this house and although I would like to think my authority overrides his, he just shook his head to prove that it does not. I think he also recommends the use of Nicabate to overcome smoking.
(2) Has the minister’s attention been drawn to the fact that this means that schoolchildren, parliamentary staff and members are regularly and consistently exposed to the ill-effects of passive smoking? (3) Will the minister inquire of the Speaker of this house what action he has taken to remedy this extremely detrimental health situation? (4) If the Speaker does not intend to take immediate action, what measures can the minister take to relieve the problem? Mr J.J.M. BOWLER replied: (1)-(4) I thank the member for the question and I appreciate her concern for all Western Australian workers. The member always seems to be on someone’s case somewhere, and that is good. I think the member answered her first three questions with the last question, when she mentioned the Speaker. The Speaker controls the operations in this house and although I would like to think my authority overrides his, he just shook his head to prove that it does not. I think he also recommends the use of Nicabate to overcome smoking.
(3) Will the minister inquire of the Speaker of this house what action he has taken to remedy this extremely detrimental health situation? (4) If the Speaker does not intend to take immediate action, what measures can the minister take to relieve the problem? Mr J.J.M. BOWLER replied: (1)-(4) I thank the member for the question and I appreciate her concern for all Western Australian workers. The member always seems to be on someone’s case somewhere, and that is good. I think the member answered her first three questions with the last question, when she mentioned the Speaker. The Speaker controls the operations in this house and although I would like to think my authority overrides his, he just shook his head to prove that it does not. I think he also recommends the use of Nicabate to overcome smoking.
(4) If the Speaker does not intend to take immediate action, what measures can the minister take to relieve the problem? Mr J.J.M. BOWLER replied: (1)-(4) I thank the member for the question and I appreciate her concern for all Western Australian workers. The member always seems to be on someone’s case somewhere, and that is good. I think the member answered her first three questions with the last question, when she mentioned the Speaker. The Speaker controls the operations in this house and although I would like to think my authority overrides his, he just shook his head to prove that it does not. I think he also recommends the use of Nicabate to overcome smoking.
Mr J.J.M. BOWLER replied: (1)-(4) I thank the member for the question and I appreciate her concern for all Western Australian workers. The member always seems to be on someone’s case somewhere, and that is good. I think the member answered her first three questions with the last question, when she mentioned the Speaker. The Speaker controls the operations in this house and although I would like to think my authority overrides his, he just shook his head to prove that it does not. I think he also recommends the use of Nicabate to overcome smoking.
(1)-(4) I thank the member for the question and I appreciate her concern for all Western Australian workers. The member always seems to be on someone’s case somewhere, and that is good. I think the member answered her first three questions with the last question, when she mentioned the Speaker. The Speaker controls the operations in this house and although I would like to think my authority overrides his, he just shook his head to prove that it does not. I think he also recommends the use of Nicabate to overcome smoking.

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