❓ Question regarding government action on drink-driving in Swan Hills, specifically regarding alcohol interlock legislation. Minister responds, outlining progress and defending against criticism.
AnsweredQoN 393Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
DRINK-DRIVING — ALCOHOL INTERLOCKS
As the minister knows, the people of Swan Hills are only too well aware of the potentially tragic consequences of driving while under the influence of alcohol. Can the minister outline what is being done to try to eliminate this scourge on the roads? Mr R.F. JOHNSON
As the minister knows, the people of Swan Hills are only too well aware of the potentially tragic consequences of driving while under the influence of alcohol. Can the minister outline what is being done to try to eliminate this scourge on the roads? Mr R.F. JOHNSON
AnswerView source ↗
I am appalled at the level of drink-driving and drug-driving on the roads, as I am sure every member in this chamber would be. It is a very serious issue, and it costs very many lives on Western Australians roads. I thank the member for Swan Hills for the question. I know he has a great interest in this area as well. The government takes very seriously the issue of people who drink and drive, in particular when it ends up taking the lives of innocent people or puts people in hospital in a critical condition that they have to sustain for the rest of their lives. It is a very serious issue. The member has asked me what I and the government are going to do about this. I inform the house that we are working on some legislation at the moment—it has been in the news today; the media seems to have picked up on this, not from my office, but from somewhere else—in relation to alcohol interlocks. Alcohol interlocks are systems that can be put into vehicles to prevent repeat offenders and serious drink-drivers on the roads from being able to start their vehicles. I have been criticised today by the shadow Minister for Police, the member for Girrawheen, for not — Ms M.M. Quirk : That is my job! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : What—to criticise me? Sorry! I thought it was to be constructive and play an important role in Western Australian politics and Parliament! Mr M. McGowan : It is a serious issue! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is a very serious issue, my friend, and it should not be taken lightly. I do not take easily to the sorts of comments that the member has made today. The member for Girrawheen said in a media statement today — Ms Quirk said Mr Johnson had been making promises for months but was yet to follow through on his tough rhetoric. “It is my understanding that a detailed proposal went to Cabinet some months ago and the reason for any further delay has not been revealed,” she said. Is it not amazing! I would like to know how the member for Girrawheen knows what goes before our cabinet. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Girrawheen! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I can assure the member that no leaks come out of our cabinet—unlike the situation in the former government’s cabinet, when members just had to see one or two people outside Parliament House and they would tell them what had gone on in cabinet. That does not happen in our cabinet. What will happen with this particular draft legislation is that — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Girrawheen! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : What will happen in relation to this and a whole raft of other legislation that will hopefully make the roads safer for innocent people is that it will be going to the Ministerial Council on Road Safety meeting next month—in June. I am hopeful that the MCRS will support the legislation. It will then go to cabinet. I am hopeful that cabinet will also support the legislation. It will then come into this place. That is the way the process works. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Will it come in this year or the year after? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It will come in this year. That is my intention. The problem is that I have about six or eight lots of draft legislation going on at the moment, and I know my other colleagues are in the same situation. We have so much legislation to deal with that we are competing among ourselves to get it through the cabinet process and into this place. Mr M. McGowan : Then sit more! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is not a question of sitting more, my friend. What we have been doing up until now is passing the legislation that the former government neglected to pass when it was in government! The former government was in a such a hurry to get out there and wave the white flag and say, “We cannot do this job any more; come and do it for us”, that we are now having to pass that government’s legislation. That is what we are doing, my friend. We have done so in good faith. From now on, the opposition will see our legislation being passed. It will be some really tough legislation—the toughest in Australia—to deal with people who abuse the road laws. I will be “Mr Bad Boy”. I do not mind that. I intend to make sure that we take off the roads those people who put innocent lives at risk. I make a promise to this Parliament that I will not rest until I get all that legislation in here and we deal with those recalcitrant people who keep putting other people’s lives at risk.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON replied: I am appalled at the level of drink-driving and drug-driving on the roads, as I am sure every member in this chamber would be. It is a very serious issue, and it costs very many lives on Western Australians roads. I thank the member for Swan Hills for the question. I know he has a great interest in this area as well. The government takes very seriously the issue of people who drink and drive, in particular when it ends up taking the lives of innocent people or puts people in hospital in a critical condition that they have to sustain for the rest of their lives. It is a very serious issue. The member has asked me what I and the government are going to do about this. I inform the house that we are working on some legislation at the moment—it has been in the news today; the media seems to have picked up on this, not from my office, but from somewhere else—in relation to alcohol interlocks. Alcohol interlocks are systems that can be put into vehicles to prevent repeat offenders and serious drink-drivers on the roads from being able to start their vehicles. I have been criticised today by the shadow Minister for Police, the member for Girrawheen, for not — Ms M.M. Quirk : That is my job! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : What—to criticise me? Sorry! I thought it was to be constructive and play an important role in Western Australian politics and Parliament! Mr M. McGowan : It is a serious issue! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is a very serious issue, my friend, and it should not be taken lightly. I do not take easily to the sorts of comments that the member has made today. The member for Girrawheen said in a media statement today — Ms Quirk said Mr Johnson had been making promises for months but was yet to follow through on his tough rhetoric. “It is my understanding that a detailed proposal went to Cabinet some months ago and the reason for any further delay has not been revealed,” she said. Is it not amazing! I would like to know how the member for Girrawheen knows what goes before our cabinet. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Girrawheen! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I can assure the member that no leaks come out of our cabinet—unlike the situation in the former government’s cabinet, when members just had to see one or two people outside Parliament House and they would tell them what had gone on in cabinet. That does not happen in our cabinet. What will happen with this particular draft legislation is that — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Girrawheen! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : What will happen in relation to this and a whole raft of other legislation that will hopefully make the roads safer for innocent people is that it will be going to the Ministerial Council on Road Safety meeting next month—in June. I am hopeful that the MCRS will support the legislation. It will then go to cabinet. I am hopeful that cabinet will also support the legislation. It will then come into this place. That is the way the process works. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Will it come in this year or the year after? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It will come in this year. That is my intention. The problem is that I have about six or eight lots of draft legislation going on at the moment, and I know my other colleagues are in the same situation. We have so much legislation to deal with that we are competing among ourselves to get it through the cabinet process and into this place. Mr M. McGowan : Then sit more! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is not a question of sitting more, my friend. What we have been doing up until now is passing the legislation that the former government neglected to pass when it was in government! The former government was in a such a hurry to get out there and wave the white flag and say, “We cannot do this job any more; come and do it for us”, that we are now having to pass that government’s legislation. That is what we are doing, my friend. We have done so in good faith. From now on, the opposition will see our legislation being passed. It will be some really tough legislation—the toughest in Australia—to deal with people who abuse the road laws. I will be “Mr Bad Boy”. I do not mind that. I intend to make sure that we take off the roads those people who put innocent lives at risk. I make a promise to this Parliament that I will not rest until I get all that legislation in here and we deal with those recalcitrant people who keep putting other people’s lives at risk.
I am appalled at the level of drink-driving and drug-driving on the roads, as I am sure every member in this chamber would be. It is a very serious issue, and it costs very many lives on Western Australians roads. I thank the member for Swan Hills for the question. I know he has a great interest in this area as well. The government takes very seriously the issue of people who drink and drive, in particular when it ends up taking the lives of innocent people or puts people in hospital in a critical condition that they have to sustain for the rest of their lives. It is a very serious issue. The member has asked me what I and the government are going to do about this. I inform the house that we are working on some legislation at the moment—it has been in the news today; the media seems to have picked up on this, not from my office, but from somewhere else—in relation to alcohol interlocks. Alcohol interlocks are systems that can be put into vehicles to prevent repeat offenders and serious drink-drivers on the roads from being able to start their vehicles. I have been criticised today by the shadow Minister for Police, the member for Girrawheen, for not — Ms M.M. Quirk : That is my job! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : What—to criticise me? Sorry! I thought it was to be constructive and play an important role in Western Australian politics and Parliament! Mr M. McGowan : It is a serious issue! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is a very serious issue, my friend, and it should not be taken lightly. I do not take easily to the sorts of comments that the member has made today. The member for Girrawheen said in a media statement today — Ms Quirk said Mr Johnson had been making promises for months but was yet to follow through on his tough rhetoric. “It is my understanding that a detailed proposal went to Cabinet some months ago and the reason for any further delay has not been revealed,” she said. Is it not amazing! I would like to know how the member for Girrawheen knows what goes before our cabinet. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Girrawheen! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I can assure the member that no leaks come out of our cabinet—unlike the situation in the former government’s cabinet, when members just had to see one or two people outside Parliament House and they would tell them what had gone on in cabinet. That does not happen in our cabinet. What will happen with this particular draft legislation is that — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Girrawheen! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : What will happen in relation to this and a whole raft of other legislation that will hopefully make the roads safer for innocent people is that it will be going to the Ministerial Council on Road Safety meeting next month—in June. I am hopeful that the MCRS will support the legislation. It will then go to cabinet. I am hopeful that cabinet will also support the legislation. It will then come into this place. That is the way the process works. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Will it come in this year or the year after? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It will come in this year. That is my intention. The problem is that I have about six or eight lots of draft legislation going on at the moment, and I know my other colleagues are in the same situation. We have so much legislation to deal with that we are competing among ourselves to get it through the cabinet process and into this place. Mr M. McGowan : Then sit more! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is not a question of sitting more, my friend. What we have been doing up until now is passing the legislation that the former government neglected to pass when it was in government! The former government was in a such a hurry to get out there and wave the white flag and say, “We cannot do this job any more; come and do it for us”, that we are now having to pass that government’s legislation. That is what we are doing, my friend. We have done so in good faith. From now on, the opposition will see our legislation being passed. It will be some really tough legislation—the toughest in Australia—to deal with people who abuse the road laws. I will be “Mr Bad Boy”. I do not mind that. I intend to make sure that we take off the roads those people who put innocent lives at risk. I make a promise to this Parliament that I will not rest until I get all that legislation in here and we deal with those recalcitrant people who keep putting other people’s lives at risk.
Ms M.M. Quirk : That is my job! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : What—to criticise me? Sorry! I thought it was to be constructive and play an important role in Western Australian politics and Parliament! Mr M. McGowan : It is a serious issue! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is a very serious issue, my friend, and it should not be taken lightly. I do not take easily to the sorts of comments that the member has made today. The member for Girrawheen said in a media statement today — Ms Quirk said Mr Johnson had been making promises for months but was yet to follow through on his tough rhetoric. “It is my understanding that a detailed proposal went to Cabinet some months ago and the reason for any further delay has not been revealed,” she said. Is it not amazing! I would like to know how the member for Girrawheen knows what goes before our cabinet. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Girrawheen! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I can assure the member that no leaks come out of our cabinet—unlike the situation in the former government’s cabinet, when members just had to see one or two people outside Parliament House and they would tell them what had gone on in cabinet. That does not happen in our cabinet. What will happen with this particular draft legislation is that — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Girrawheen! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : What will happen in relation to this and a whole raft of other legislation that will hopefully make the roads safer for innocent people is that it will be going to the Ministerial Council on Road Safety meeting next month—in June. I am hopeful that the MCRS will support the legislation. It will then go to cabinet. I am hopeful that cabinet will also support the legislation. It will then come into this place. That is the way the process works. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Will it come in this year or the year after? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It will come in this year. That is my intention. The problem is that I have about six or eight lots of draft legislation going on at the moment, and I know my other colleagues are in the same situation. We have so much legislation to deal with that we are competing among ourselves to get it through the cabinet process and into this place. Mr M. McGowan : Then sit more! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is not a question of sitting more, my friend. What we have been doing up until now is passing the legislation that the former government neglected to pass when it was in government! The former government was in a such a hurry to get out there and wave the white flag and say, “We cannot do this job any more; come and do it for us”, that we are now having to pass that government’s legislation. That is what we are doing, my friend. We have done so in good faith. From now on, the opposition will see our legislation being passed. It will be some really tough legislation—the toughest in Australia—to deal with people who abuse the road laws. I will be “Mr Bad Boy”. I do not mind that. I intend to make sure that we take off the roads those people who put innocent lives at risk. I make a promise to this Parliament that I will not rest until I get all that legislation in here and we deal with those recalcitrant people who keep putting other people’s lives at risk.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : What—to criticise me? Sorry! I thought it was to be constructive and play an important role in Western Australian politics and Parliament! Mr M. McGowan : It is a serious issue! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is a very serious issue, my friend, and it should not be taken lightly. I do not take easily to the sorts of comments that the member has made today. The member for Girrawheen said in a media statement today — Ms Quirk said Mr Johnson had been making promises for months but was yet to follow through on his tough rhetoric. “It is my understanding that a detailed proposal went to Cabinet some months ago and the reason for any further delay has not been revealed,” she said. Is it not amazing! I would like to know how the member for Girrawheen knows what goes before our cabinet. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Girrawheen! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I can assure the member that no leaks come out of our cabinet—unlike the situation in the former government’s cabinet, when members just had to see one or two people outside Parliament House and they would tell them what had gone on in cabinet. That does not happen in our cabinet. What will happen with this particular draft legislation is that — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Girrawheen! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : What will happen in relation to this and a whole raft of other legislation that will hopefully make the roads safer for innocent people is that it will be going to the Ministerial Council on Road Safety meeting next month—in June. I am hopeful that the MCRS will support the legislation. It will then go to cabinet. I am hopeful that cabinet will also support the legislation. It will then come into this place. That is the way the process works. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Will it come in this year or the year after? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It will come in this year. That is my intention. The problem is that I have about six or eight lots of draft legislation going on at the moment, and I know my other colleagues are in the same situation. We have so much legislation to deal with that we are competing among ourselves to get it through the cabinet process and into this place. Mr M. McGowan : Then sit more! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is not a question of sitting more, my friend. What we have been doing up until now is passing the legislation that the former government neglected to pass when it was in government! The former government was in a such a hurry to get out there and wave the white flag and say, “We cannot do this job any more; come and do it for us”, that we are now having to pass that government’s legislation. That is what we are doing, my friend. We have done so in good faith. From now on, the opposition will see our legislation being passed. It will be some really tough legislation—the toughest in Australia—to deal with people who abuse the road laws. I will be “Mr Bad Boy”. I do not mind that. I intend to make sure that we take off the roads those people who put innocent lives at risk. I make a promise to this Parliament that I will not rest until I get all that legislation in here and we deal with those recalcitrant people who keep putting other people’s lives at risk.
Mr M. McGowan : It is a serious issue! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is a very serious issue, my friend, and it should not be taken lightly. I do not take easily to the sorts of comments that the member has made today. The member for Girrawheen said in a media statement today — Ms Quirk said Mr Johnson had been making promises for months but was yet to follow through on his tough rhetoric. “It is my understanding that a detailed proposal went to Cabinet some months ago and the reason for any further delay has not been revealed,” she said. Is it not amazing! I would like to know how the member for Girrawheen knows what goes before our cabinet. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Girrawheen! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I can assure the member that no leaks come out of our cabinet—unlike the situation in the former government’s cabinet, when members just had to see one or two people outside Parliament House and they would tell them what had gone on in cabinet. That does not happen in our cabinet. What will happen with this particular draft legislation is that — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Girrawheen! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : What will happen in relation to this and a whole raft of other legislation that will hopefully make the roads safer for innocent people is that it will be going to the Ministerial Council on Road Safety meeting next month—in June. I am hopeful that the MCRS will support the legislation. It will then go to cabinet. I am hopeful that cabinet will also support the legislation. It will then come into this place. That is the way the process works. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Will it come in this year or the year after? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It will come in this year. That is my intention. The problem is that I have about six or eight lots of draft legislation going on at the moment, and I know my other colleagues are in the same situation. We have so much legislation to deal with that we are competing among ourselves to get it through the cabinet process and into this place. Mr M. McGowan : Then sit more! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is not a question of sitting more, my friend. What we have been doing up until now is passing the legislation that the former government neglected to pass when it was in government! The former government was in a such a hurry to get out there and wave the white flag and say, “We cannot do this job any more; come and do it for us”, that we are now having to pass that government’s legislation. That is what we are doing, my friend. We have done so in good faith. From now on, the opposition will see our legislation being passed. It will be some really tough legislation—the toughest in Australia—to deal with people who abuse the road laws. I will be “Mr Bad Boy”. I do not mind that. I intend to make sure that we take off the roads those people who put innocent lives at risk. I make a promise to this Parliament that I will not rest until I get all that legislation in here and we deal with those recalcitrant people who keep putting other people’s lives at risk.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is a very serious issue, my friend, and it should not be taken lightly. I do not take easily to the sorts of comments that the member has made today. The member for Girrawheen said in a media statement today — Ms Quirk said Mr Johnson had been making promises for months but was yet to follow through on his tough rhetoric. “It is my understanding that a detailed proposal went to Cabinet some months ago and the reason for any further delay has not been revealed,” she said. Is it not amazing! I would like to know how the member for Girrawheen knows what goes before our cabinet. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Girrawheen! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I can assure the member that no leaks come out of our cabinet—unlike the situation in the former government’s cabinet, when members just had to see one or two people outside Parliament House and they would tell them what had gone on in cabinet. That does not happen in our cabinet. What will happen with this particular draft legislation is that — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Girrawheen! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : What will happen in relation to this and a whole raft of other legislation that will hopefully make the roads safer for innocent people is that it will be going to the Ministerial Council on Road Safety meeting next month—in June. I am hopeful that the MCRS will support the legislation. It will then go to cabinet. I am hopeful that cabinet will also support the legislation. It will then come into this place. That is the way the process works. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Will it come in this year or the year after? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It will come in this year. That is my intention. The problem is that I have about six or eight lots of draft legislation going on at the moment, and I know my other colleagues are in the same situation. We have so much legislation to deal with that we are competing among ourselves to get it through the cabinet process and into this place. Mr M. McGowan : Then sit more! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is not a question of sitting more, my friend. What we have been doing up until now is passing the legislation that the former government neglected to pass when it was in government! The former government was in a such a hurry to get out there and wave the white flag and say, “We cannot do this job any more; come and do it for us”, that we are now having to pass that government’s legislation. That is what we are doing, my friend. We have done so in good faith. From now on, the opposition will see our legislation being passed. It will be some really tough legislation—the toughest in Australia—to deal with people who abuse the road laws. I will be “Mr Bad Boy”. I do not mind that. I intend to make sure that we take off the roads those people who put innocent lives at risk. I make a promise to this Parliament that I will not rest until I get all that legislation in here and we deal with those recalcitrant people who keep putting other people’s lives at risk.
“It is my understanding that a detailed proposal went to Cabinet some months ago and the reason for any further delay has not been revealed,” she said.
Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Girrawheen! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I can assure the member that no leaks come out of our cabinet—unlike the situation in the former government’s cabinet, when members just had to see one or two people outside Parliament House and they would tell them what had gone on in cabinet. That does not happen in our cabinet. What will happen with this particular draft legislation is that — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Girrawheen! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : What will happen in relation to this and a whole raft of other legislation that will hopefully make the roads safer for innocent people is that it will be going to the Ministerial Council on Road Safety meeting next month—in June. I am hopeful that the MCRS will support the legislation. It will then go to cabinet. I am hopeful that cabinet will also support the legislation. It will then come into this place. That is the way the process works. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Will it come in this year or the year after? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It will come in this year. That is my intention. The problem is that I have about six or eight lots of draft legislation going on at the moment, and I know my other colleagues are in the same situation. We have so much legislation to deal with that we are competing among ourselves to get it through the cabinet process and into this place. Mr M. McGowan : Then sit more! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is not a question of sitting more, my friend. What we have been doing up until now is passing the legislation that the former government neglected to pass when it was in government! The former government was in a such a hurry to get out there and wave the white flag and say, “We cannot do this job any more; come and do it for us”, that we are now having to pass that government’s legislation. That is what we are doing, my friend. We have done so in good faith. From now on, the opposition will see our legislation being passed. It will be some really tough legislation—the toughest in Australia—to deal with people who abuse the road laws. I will be “Mr Bad Boy”. I do not mind that. I intend to make sure that we take off the roads those people who put innocent lives at risk. I make a promise to this Parliament that I will not rest until I get all that legislation in here and we deal with those recalcitrant people who keep putting other people’s lives at risk.
The SPEAKER : Order, member for Girrawheen! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I can assure the member that no leaks come out of our cabinet—unlike the situation in the former government’s cabinet, when members just had to see one or two people outside Parliament House and they would tell them what had gone on in cabinet. That does not happen in our cabinet. What will happen with this particular draft legislation is that — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Girrawheen! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : What will happen in relation to this and a whole raft of other legislation that will hopefully make the roads safer for innocent people is that it will be going to the Ministerial Council on Road Safety meeting next month—in June. I am hopeful that the MCRS will support the legislation. It will then go to cabinet. I am hopeful that cabinet will also support the legislation. It will then come into this place. That is the way the process works. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Will it come in this year or the year after? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It will come in this year. That is my intention. The problem is that I have about six or eight lots of draft legislation going on at the moment, and I know my other colleagues are in the same situation. We have so much legislation to deal with that we are competing among ourselves to get it through the cabinet process and into this place. Mr M. McGowan : Then sit more! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is not a question of sitting more, my friend. What we have been doing up until now is passing the legislation that the former government neglected to pass when it was in government! The former government was in a such a hurry to get out there and wave the white flag and say, “We cannot do this job any more; come and do it for us”, that we are now having to pass that government’s legislation. That is what we are doing, my friend. We have done so in good faith. From now on, the opposition will see our legislation being passed. It will be some really tough legislation—the toughest in Australia—to deal with people who abuse the road laws. I will be “Mr Bad Boy”. I do not mind that. I intend to make sure that we take off the roads those people who put innocent lives at risk. I make a promise to this Parliament that I will not rest until I get all that legislation in here and we deal with those recalcitrant people who keep putting other people’s lives at risk.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I can assure the member that no leaks come out of our cabinet—unlike the situation in the former government’s cabinet, when members just had to see one or two people outside Parliament House and they would tell them what had gone on in cabinet. That does not happen in our cabinet. What will happen with this particular draft legislation is that — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Girrawheen! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : What will happen in relation to this and a whole raft of other legislation that will hopefully make the roads safer for innocent people is that it will be going to the Ministerial Council on Road Safety meeting next month—in June. I am hopeful that the MCRS will support the legislation. It will then go to cabinet. I am hopeful that cabinet will also support the legislation. It will then come into this place. That is the way the process works. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Will it come in this year or the year after? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It will come in this year. That is my intention. The problem is that I have about six or eight lots of draft legislation going on at the moment, and I know my other colleagues are in the same situation. We have so much legislation to deal with that we are competing among ourselves to get it through the cabinet process and into this place. Mr M. McGowan : Then sit more! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is not a question of sitting more, my friend. What we have been doing up until now is passing the legislation that the former government neglected to pass when it was in government! The former government was in a such a hurry to get out there and wave the white flag and say, “We cannot do this job any more; come and do it for us”, that we are now having to pass that government’s legislation. That is what we are doing, my friend. We have done so in good faith. From now on, the opposition will see our legislation being passed. It will be some really tough legislation—the toughest in Australia—to deal with people who abuse the road laws. I will be “Mr Bad Boy”. I do not mind that. I intend to make sure that we take off the roads those people who put innocent lives at risk. I make a promise to this Parliament that I will not rest until I get all that legislation in here and we deal with those recalcitrant people who keep putting other people’s lives at risk.
Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Girrawheen! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : What will happen in relation to this and a whole raft of other legislation that will hopefully make the roads safer for innocent people is that it will be going to the Ministerial Council on Road Safety meeting next month—in June. I am hopeful that the MCRS will support the legislation. It will then go to cabinet. I am hopeful that cabinet will also support the legislation. It will then come into this place. That is the way the process works. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Will it come in this year or the year after? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It will come in this year. That is my intention. The problem is that I have about six or eight lots of draft legislation going on at the moment, and I know my other colleagues are in the same situation. We have so much legislation to deal with that we are competing among ourselves to get it through the cabinet process and into this place. Mr M. McGowan : Then sit more! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is not a question of sitting more, my friend. What we have been doing up until now is passing the legislation that the former government neglected to pass when it was in government! The former government was in a such a hurry to get out there and wave the white flag and say, “We cannot do this job any more; come and do it for us”, that we are now having to pass that government’s legislation. That is what we are doing, my friend. We have done so in good faith. From now on, the opposition will see our legislation being passed. It will be some really tough legislation—the toughest in Australia—to deal with people who abuse the road laws. I will be “Mr Bad Boy”. I do not mind that. I intend to make sure that we take off the roads those people who put innocent lives at risk. I make a promise to this Parliament that I will not rest until I get all that legislation in here and we deal with those recalcitrant people who keep putting other people’s lives at risk.
The SPEAKER : Order, member for Girrawheen! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : What will happen in relation to this and a whole raft of other legislation that will hopefully make the roads safer for innocent people is that it will be going to the Ministerial Council on Road Safety meeting next month—in June. I am hopeful that the MCRS will support the legislation. It will then go to cabinet. I am hopeful that cabinet will also support the legislation. It will then come into this place. That is the way the process works. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Will it come in this year or the year after? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It will come in this year. That is my intention. The problem is that I have about six or eight lots of draft legislation going on at the moment, and I know my other colleagues are in the same situation. We have so much legislation to deal with that we are competing among ourselves to get it through the cabinet process and into this place. Mr M. McGowan : Then sit more! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is not a question of sitting more, my friend. What we have been doing up until now is passing the legislation that the former government neglected to pass when it was in government! The former government was in a such a hurry to get out there and wave the white flag and say, “We cannot do this job any more; come and do it for us”, that we are now having to pass that government’s legislation. That is what we are doing, my friend. We have done so in good faith. From now on, the opposition will see our legislation being passed. It will be some really tough legislation—the toughest in Australia—to deal with people who abuse the road laws. I will be “Mr Bad Boy”. I do not mind that. I intend to make sure that we take off the roads those people who put innocent lives at risk. I make a promise to this Parliament that I will not rest until I get all that legislation in here and we deal with those recalcitrant people who keep putting other people’s lives at risk.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : What will happen in relation to this and a whole raft of other legislation that will hopefully make the roads safer for innocent people is that it will be going to the Ministerial Council on Road Safety meeting next month—in June. I am hopeful that the MCRS will support the legislation. It will then go to cabinet. I am hopeful that cabinet will also support the legislation. It will then come into this place. That is the way the process works. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Will it come in this year or the year after? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It will come in this year. That is my intention. The problem is that I have about six or eight lots of draft legislation going on at the moment, and I know my other colleagues are in the same situation. We have so much legislation to deal with that we are competing among ourselves to get it through the cabinet process and into this place. Mr M. McGowan : Then sit more! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is not a question of sitting more, my friend. What we have been doing up until now is passing the legislation that the former government neglected to pass when it was in government! The former government was in a such a hurry to get out there and wave the white flag and say, “We cannot do this job any more; come and do it for us”, that we are now having to pass that government’s legislation. That is what we are doing, my friend. We have done so in good faith. From now on, the opposition will see our legislation being passed. It will be some really tough legislation—the toughest in Australia—to deal with people who abuse the road laws. I will be “Mr Bad Boy”. I do not mind that. I intend to make sure that we take off the roads those people who put innocent lives at risk. I make a promise to this Parliament that I will not rest until I get all that legislation in here and we deal with those recalcitrant people who keep putting other people’s lives at risk.
Mrs M.H. Roberts : Will it come in this year or the year after? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It will come in this year. That is my intention. The problem is that I have about six or eight lots of draft legislation going on at the moment, and I know my other colleagues are in the same situation. We have so much legislation to deal with that we are competing among ourselves to get it through the cabinet process and into this place. Mr M. McGowan : Then sit more! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is not a question of sitting more, my friend. What we have been doing up until now is passing the legislation that the former government neglected to pass when it was in government! The former government was in a such a hurry to get out there and wave the white flag and say, “We cannot do this job any more; come and do it for us”, that we are now having to pass that government’s legislation. That is what we are doing, my friend. We have done so in good faith. From now on, the opposition will see our legislation being passed. It will be some really tough legislation—the toughest in Australia—to deal with people who abuse the road laws. I will be “Mr Bad Boy”. I do not mind that. I intend to make sure that we take off the roads those people who put innocent lives at risk. I make a promise to this Parliament that I will not rest until I get all that legislation in here and we deal with those recalcitrant people who keep putting other people’s lives at risk.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It will come in this year. That is my intention. The problem is that I have about six or eight lots of draft legislation going on at the moment, and I know my other colleagues are in the same situation. We have so much legislation to deal with that we are competing among ourselves to get it through the cabinet process and into this place. Mr M. McGowan : Then sit more! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is not a question of sitting more, my friend. What we have been doing up until now is passing the legislation that the former government neglected to pass when it was in government! The former government was in a such a hurry to get out there and wave the white flag and say, “We cannot do this job any more; come and do it for us”, that we are now having to pass that government’s legislation. That is what we are doing, my friend. We have done so in good faith. From now on, the opposition will see our legislation being passed. It will be some really tough legislation—the toughest in Australia—to deal with people who abuse the road laws. I will be “Mr Bad Boy”. I do not mind that. I intend to make sure that we take off the roads those people who put innocent lives at risk. I make a promise to this Parliament that I will not rest until I get all that legislation in here and we deal with those recalcitrant people who keep putting other people’s lives at risk.
Mr M. McGowan : Then sit more! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is not a question of sitting more, my friend. What we have been doing up until now is passing the legislation that the former government neglected to pass when it was in government! The former government was in a such a hurry to get out there and wave the white flag and say, “We cannot do this job any more; come and do it for us”, that we are now having to pass that government’s legislation. That is what we are doing, my friend. We have done so in good faith. From now on, the opposition will see our legislation being passed. It will be some really tough legislation—the toughest in Australia—to deal with people who abuse the road laws. I will be “Mr Bad Boy”. I do not mind that. I intend to make sure that we take off the roads those people who put innocent lives at risk. I make a promise to this Parliament that I will not rest until I get all that legislation in here and we deal with those recalcitrant people who keep putting other people’s lives at risk.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is not a question of sitting more, my friend. What we have been doing up until now is passing the legislation that the former government neglected to pass when it was in government! The former government was in a such a hurry to get out there and wave the white flag and say, “We cannot do this job any more; come and do it for us”, that we are now having to pass that government’s legislation. That is what we are doing, my friend. We have done so in good faith. From now on, the opposition will see our legislation being passed. It will be some really tough legislation—the toughest in Australia—to deal with people who abuse the road laws. I will be “Mr Bad Boy”. I do not mind that. I intend to make sure that we take off the roads those people who put innocent lives at risk. I make a promise to this Parliament that I will not rest until I get all that legislation in here and we deal with those recalcitrant people who keep putting other people’s lives at risk.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON replied: I am appalled at the level of drink-driving and drug-driving on the roads, as I am sure every member in this chamber would be. It is a very serious issue, and it costs very many lives on Western Australians roads. I thank the member for Swan Hills for the question. I know he has a great interest in this area as well. The government takes very seriously the issue of people who drink and drive, in particular when it ends up taking the lives of innocent people or puts people in hospital in a critical condition that they have to sustain for the rest of their lives. It is a very serious issue. The member has asked me what I and the government are going to do about this. I inform the house that we are working on some legislation at the moment—it has been in the news today; the media seems to have picked up on this, not from my office, but from somewhere else—in relation to alcohol interlocks. Alcohol interlocks are systems that can be put into vehicles to prevent repeat offenders and serious drink-drivers on the roads from being able to start their vehicles. I have been criticised today by the shadow Minister for Police, the member for Girrawheen, for not — Ms M.M. Quirk : That is my job! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : What—to criticise me? Sorry! I thought it was to be constructive and play an important role in Western Australian politics and Parliament! Mr M. McGowan : It is a serious issue! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is a very serious issue, my friend, and it should not be taken lightly. I do not take easily to the sorts of comments that the member has made today. The member for Girrawheen said in a media statement today — Ms Quirk said Mr Johnson had been making promises for months but was yet to follow through on his tough rhetoric. “It is my understanding that a detailed proposal went to Cabinet some months ago and the reason for any further delay has not been revealed,” she said. Is it not amazing! I would like to know how the member for Girrawheen knows what goes before our cabinet. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Girrawheen! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I can assure the member that no leaks come out of our cabinet—unlike the situation in the former government’s cabinet, when members just had to see one or two people outside Parliament House and they would tell them what had gone on in cabinet. That does not happen in our cabinet. What will happen with this particular draft legislation is that — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Girrawheen! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : What will happen in relation to this and a whole raft of other legislation that will hopefully make the roads safer for innocent people is that it will be going to the Ministerial Council on Road Safety meeting next month—in June. I am hopeful that the MCRS will support the legislation. It will then go to cabinet. I am hopeful that cabinet will also support the legislation. It will then come into this place. That is the way the process works. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Will it come in this year or the year after? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It will come in this year. That is my intention. The problem is that I have about six or eight lots of draft legislation going on at the moment, and I know my other colleagues are in the same situation. We have so much legislation to deal with that we are competing among ourselves to get it through the cabinet process and into this place. Mr M. McGowan : Then sit more! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is not a question of sitting more, my friend. What we have been doing up until now is passing the legislation that the former government neglected to pass when it was in government! The former government was in a such a hurry to get out there and wave the white flag and say, “We cannot do this job any more; come and do it for us”, that we are now having to pass that government’s legislation. That is what we are doing, my friend. We have done so in good faith. From now on, the opposition will see our legislation being passed. It will be some really tough legislation—the toughest in Australia—to deal with people who abuse the road laws. I will be “Mr Bad Boy”. I do not mind that. I intend to make sure that we take off the roads those people who put innocent lives at risk. I make a promise to this Parliament that I will not rest until I get all that legislation in here and we deal with those recalcitrant people who keep putting other people’s lives at risk.
I am appalled at the level of drink-driving and drug-driving on the roads, as I am sure every member in this chamber would be. It is a very serious issue, and it costs very many lives on Western Australians roads. I thank the member for Swan Hills for the question. I know he has a great interest in this area as well. The government takes very seriously the issue of people who drink and drive, in particular when it ends up taking the lives of innocent people or puts people in hospital in a critical condition that they have to sustain for the rest of their lives. It is a very serious issue. The member has asked me what I and the government are going to do about this. I inform the house that we are working on some legislation at the moment—it has been in the news today; the media seems to have picked up on this, not from my office, but from somewhere else—in relation to alcohol interlocks. Alcohol interlocks are systems that can be put into vehicles to prevent repeat offenders and serious drink-drivers on the roads from being able to start their vehicles. I have been criticised today by the shadow Minister for Police, the member for Girrawheen, for not — Ms M.M. Quirk : That is my job! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : What—to criticise me? Sorry! I thought it was to be constructive and play an important role in Western Australian politics and Parliament! Mr M. McGowan : It is a serious issue! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is a very serious issue, my friend, and it should not be taken lightly. I do not take easily to the sorts of comments that the member has made today. The member for Girrawheen said in a media statement today — Ms Quirk said Mr Johnson had been making promises for months but was yet to follow through on his tough rhetoric. “It is my understanding that a detailed proposal went to Cabinet some months ago and the reason for any further delay has not been revealed,” she said. Is it not amazing! I would like to know how the member for Girrawheen knows what goes before our cabinet. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Girrawheen! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I can assure the member that no leaks come out of our cabinet—unlike the situation in the former government’s cabinet, when members just had to see one or two people outside Parliament House and they would tell them what had gone on in cabinet. That does not happen in our cabinet. What will happen with this particular draft legislation is that — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Girrawheen! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : What will happen in relation to this and a whole raft of other legislation that will hopefully make the roads safer for innocent people is that it will be going to the Ministerial Council on Road Safety meeting next month—in June. I am hopeful that the MCRS will support the legislation. It will then go to cabinet. I am hopeful that cabinet will also support the legislation. It will then come into this place. That is the way the process works. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Will it come in this year or the year after? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It will come in this year. That is my intention. The problem is that I have about six or eight lots of draft legislation going on at the moment, and I know my other colleagues are in the same situation. We have so much legislation to deal with that we are competing among ourselves to get it through the cabinet process and into this place. Mr M. McGowan : Then sit more! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is not a question of sitting more, my friend. What we have been doing up until now is passing the legislation that the former government neglected to pass when it was in government! The former government was in a such a hurry to get out there and wave the white flag and say, “We cannot do this job any more; come and do it for us”, that we are now having to pass that government’s legislation. That is what we are doing, my friend. We have done so in good faith. From now on, the opposition will see our legislation being passed. It will be some really tough legislation—the toughest in Australia—to deal with people who abuse the road laws. I will be “Mr Bad Boy”. I do not mind that. I intend to make sure that we take off the roads those people who put innocent lives at risk. I make a promise to this Parliament that I will not rest until I get all that legislation in here and we deal with those recalcitrant people who keep putting other people’s lives at risk.
Ms M.M. Quirk : That is my job! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : What—to criticise me? Sorry! I thought it was to be constructive and play an important role in Western Australian politics and Parliament! Mr M. McGowan : It is a serious issue! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is a very serious issue, my friend, and it should not be taken lightly. I do not take easily to the sorts of comments that the member has made today. The member for Girrawheen said in a media statement today — Ms Quirk said Mr Johnson had been making promises for months but was yet to follow through on his tough rhetoric. “It is my understanding that a detailed proposal went to Cabinet some months ago and the reason for any further delay has not been revealed,” she said. Is it not amazing! I would like to know how the member for Girrawheen knows what goes before our cabinet. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Girrawheen! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I can assure the member that no leaks come out of our cabinet—unlike the situation in the former government’s cabinet, when members just had to see one or two people outside Parliament House and they would tell them what had gone on in cabinet. That does not happen in our cabinet. What will happen with this particular draft legislation is that — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Girrawheen! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : What will happen in relation to this and a whole raft of other legislation that will hopefully make the roads safer for innocent people is that it will be going to the Ministerial Council on Road Safety meeting next month—in June. I am hopeful that the MCRS will support the legislation. It will then go to cabinet. I am hopeful that cabinet will also support the legislation. It will then come into this place. That is the way the process works. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Will it come in this year or the year after? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It will come in this year. That is my intention. The problem is that I have about six or eight lots of draft legislation going on at the moment, and I know my other colleagues are in the same situation. We have so much legislation to deal with that we are competing among ourselves to get it through the cabinet process and into this place. Mr M. McGowan : Then sit more! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is not a question of sitting more, my friend. What we have been doing up until now is passing the legislation that the former government neglected to pass when it was in government! The former government was in a such a hurry to get out there and wave the white flag and say, “We cannot do this job any more; come and do it for us”, that we are now having to pass that government’s legislation. That is what we are doing, my friend. We have done so in good faith. From now on, the opposition will see our legislation being passed. It will be some really tough legislation—the toughest in Australia—to deal with people who abuse the road laws. I will be “Mr Bad Boy”. I do not mind that. I intend to make sure that we take off the roads those people who put innocent lives at risk. I make a promise to this Parliament that I will not rest until I get all that legislation in here and we deal with those recalcitrant people who keep putting other people’s lives at risk.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : What—to criticise me? Sorry! I thought it was to be constructive and play an important role in Western Australian politics and Parliament! Mr M. McGowan : It is a serious issue! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is a very serious issue, my friend, and it should not be taken lightly. I do not take easily to the sorts of comments that the member has made today. The member for Girrawheen said in a media statement today — Ms Quirk said Mr Johnson had been making promises for months but was yet to follow through on his tough rhetoric. “It is my understanding that a detailed proposal went to Cabinet some months ago and the reason for any further delay has not been revealed,” she said. Is it not amazing! I would like to know how the member for Girrawheen knows what goes before our cabinet. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Girrawheen! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I can assure the member that no leaks come out of our cabinet—unlike the situation in the former government’s cabinet, when members just had to see one or two people outside Parliament House and they would tell them what had gone on in cabinet. That does not happen in our cabinet. What will happen with this particular draft legislation is that — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Girrawheen! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : What will happen in relation to this and a whole raft of other legislation that will hopefully make the roads safer for innocent people is that it will be going to the Ministerial Council on Road Safety meeting next month—in June. I am hopeful that the MCRS will support the legislation. It will then go to cabinet. I am hopeful that cabinet will also support the legislation. It will then come into this place. That is the way the process works. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Will it come in this year or the year after? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It will come in this year. That is my intention. The problem is that I have about six or eight lots of draft legislation going on at the moment, and I know my other colleagues are in the same situation. We have so much legislation to deal with that we are competing among ourselves to get it through the cabinet process and into this place. Mr M. McGowan : Then sit more! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is not a question of sitting more, my friend. What we have been doing up until now is passing the legislation that the former government neglected to pass when it was in government! The former government was in a such a hurry to get out there and wave the white flag and say, “We cannot do this job any more; come and do it for us”, that we are now having to pass that government’s legislation. That is what we are doing, my friend. We have done so in good faith. From now on, the opposition will see our legislation being passed. It will be some really tough legislation—the toughest in Australia—to deal with people who abuse the road laws. I will be “Mr Bad Boy”. I do not mind that. I intend to make sure that we take off the roads those people who put innocent lives at risk. I make a promise to this Parliament that I will not rest until I get all that legislation in here and we deal with those recalcitrant people who keep putting other people’s lives at risk.
Mr M. McGowan : It is a serious issue! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is a very serious issue, my friend, and it should not be taken lightly. I do not take easily to the sorts of comments that the member has made today. The member for Girrawheen said in a media statement today — Ms Quirk said Mr Johnson had been making promises for months but was yet to follow through on his tough rhetoric. “It is my understanding that a detailed proposal went to Cabinet some months ago and the reason for any further delay has not been revealed,” she said. Is it not amazing! I would like to know how the member for Girrawheen knows what goes before our cabinet. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Girrawheen! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I can assure the member that no leaks come out of our cabinet—unlike the situation in the former government’s cabinet, when members just had to see one or two people outside Parliament House and they would tell them what had gone on in cabinet. That does not happen in our cabinet. What will happen with this particular draft legislation is that — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Girrawheen! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : What will happen in relation to this and a whole raft of other legislation that will hopefully make the roads safer for innocent people is that it will be going to the Ministerial Council on Road Safety meeting next month—in June. I am hopeful that the MCRS will support the legislation. It will then go to cabinet. I am hopeful that cabinet will also support the legislation. It will then come into this place. That is the way the process works. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Will it come in this year or the year after? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It will come in this year. That is my intention. The problem is that I have about six or eight lots of draft legislation going on at the moment, and I know my other colleagues are in the same situation. We have so much legislation to deal with that we are competing among ourselves to get it through the cabinet process and into this place. Mr M. McGowan : Then sit more! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is not a question of sitting more, my friend. What we have been doing up until now is passing the legislation that the former government neglected to pass when it was in government! The former government was in a such a hurry to get out there and wave the white flag and say, “We cannot do this job any more; come and do it for us”, that we are now having to pass that government’s legislation. That is what we are doing, my friend. We have done so in good faith. From now on, the opposition will see our legislation being passed. It will be some really tough legislation—the toughest in Australia—to deal with people who abuse the road laws. I will be “Mr Bad Boy”. I do not mind that. I intend to make sure that we take off the roads those people who put innocent lives at risk. I make a promise to this Parliament that I will not rest until I get all that legislation in here and we deal with those recalcitrant people who keep putting other people’s lives at risk.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is a very serious issue, my friend, and it should not be taken lightly. I do not take easily to the sorts of comments that the member has made today. The member for Girrawheen said in a media statement today — Ms Quirk said Mr Johnson had been making promises for months but was yet to follow through on his tough rhetoric. “It is my understanding that a detailed proposal went to Cabinet some months ago and the reason for any further delay has not been revealed,” she said. Is it not amazing! I would like to know how the member for Girrawheen knows what goes before our cabinet. Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Girrawheen! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I can assure the member that no leaks come out of our cabinet—unlike the situation in the former government’s cabinet, when members just had to see one or two people outside Parliament House and they would tell them what had gone on in cabinet. That does not happen in our cabinet. What will happen with this particular draft legislation is that — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Girrawheen! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : What will happen in relation to this and a whole raft of other legislation that will hopefully make the roads safer for innocent people is that it will be going to the Ministerial Council on Road Safety meeting next month—in June. I am hopeful that the MCRS will support the legislation. It will then go to cabinet. I am hopeful that cabinet will also support the legislation. It will then come into this place. That is the way the process works. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Will it come in this year or the year after? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It will come in this year. That is my intention. The problem is that I have about six or eight lots of draft legislation going on at the moment, and I know my other colleagues are in the same situation. We have so much legislation to deal with that we are competing among ourselves to get it through the cabinet process and into this place. Mr M. McGowan : Then sit more! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is not a question of sitting more, my friend. What we have been doing up until now is passing the legislation that the former government neglected to pass when it was in government! The former government was in a such a hurry to get out there and wave the white flag and say, “We cannot do this job any more; come and do it for us”, that we are now having to pass that government’s legislation. That is what we are doing, my friend. We have done so in good faith. From now on, the opposition will see our legislation being passed. It will be some really tough legislation—the toughest in Australia—to deal with people who abuse the road laws. I will be “Mr Bad Boy”. I do not mind that. I intend to make sure that we take off the roads those people who put innocent lives at risk. I make a promise to this Parliament that I will not rest until I get all that legislation in here and we deal with those recalcitrant people who keep putting other people’s lives at risk.
“It is my understanding that a detailed proposal went to Cabinet some months ago and the reason for any further delay has not been revealed,” she said.
Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Girrawheen! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I can assure the member that no leaks come out of our cabinet—unlike the situation in the former government’s cabinet, when members just had to see one or two people outside Parliament House and they would tell them what had gone on in cabinet. That does not happen in our cabinet. What will happen with this particular draft legislation is that — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Girrawheen! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : What will happen in relation to this and a whole raft of other legislation that will hopefully make the roads safer for innocent people is that it will be going to the Ministerial Council on Road Safety meeting next month—in June. I am hopeful that the MCRS will support the legislation. It will then go to cabinet. I am hopeful that cabinet will also support the legislation. It will then come into this place. That is the way the process works. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Will it come in this year or the year after? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It will come in this year. That is my intention. The problem is that I have about six or eight lots of draft legislation going on at the moment, and I know my other colleagues are in the same situation. We have so much legislation to deal with that we are competing among ourselves to get it through the cabinet process and into this place. Mr M. McGowan : Then sit more! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is not a question of sitting more, my friend. What we have been doing up until now is passing the legislation that the former government neglected to pass when it was in government! The former government was in a such a hurry to get out there and wave the white flag and say, “We cannot do this job any more; come and do it for us”, that we are now having to pass that government’s legislation. That is what we are doing, my friend. We have done so in good faith. From now on, the opposition will see our legislation being passed. It will be some really tough legislation—the toughest in Australia—to deal with people who abuse the road laws. I will be “Mr Bad Boy”. I do not mind that. I intend to make sure that we take off the roads those people who put innocent lives at risk. I make a promise to this Parliament that I will not rest until I get all that legislation in here and we deal with those recalcitrant people who keep putting other people’s lives at risk.
The SPEAKER : Order, member for Girrawheen! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I can assure the member that no leaks come out of our cabinet—unlike the situation in the former government’s cabinet, when members just had to see one or two people outside Parliament House and they would tell them what had gone on in cabinet. That does not happen in our cabinet. What will happen with this particular draft legislation is that — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Girrawheen! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : What will happen in relation to this and a whole raft of other legislation that will hopefully make the roads safer for innocent people is that it will be going to the Ministerial Council on Road Safety meeting next month—in June. I am hopeful that the MCRS will support the legislation. It will then go to cabinet. I am hopeful that cabinet will also support the legislation. It will then come into this place. That is the way the process works. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Will it come in this year or the year after? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It will come in this year. That is my intention. The problem is that I have about six or eight lots of draft legislation going on at the moment, and I know my other colleagues are in the same situation. We have so much legislation to deal with that we are competing among ourselves to get it through the cabinet process and into this place. Mr M. McGowan : Then sit more! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is not a question of sitting more, my friend. What we have been doing up until now is passing the legislation that the former government neglected to pass when it was in government! The former government was in a such a hurry to get out there and wave the white flag and say, “We cannot do this job any more; come and do it for us”, that we are now having to pass that government’s legislation. That is what we are doing, my friend. We have done so in good faith. From now on, the opposition will see our legislation being passed. It will be some really tough legislation—the toughest in Australia—to deal with people who abuse the road laws. I will be “Mr Bad Boy”. I do not mind that. I intend to make sure that we take off the roads those people who put innocent lives at risk. I make a promise to this Parliament that I will not rest until I get all that legislation in here and we deal with those recalcitrant people who keep putting other people’s lives at risk.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I can assure the member that no leaks come out of our cabinet—unlike the situation in the former government’s cabinet, when members just had to see one or two people outside Parliament House and they would tell them what had gone on in cabinet. That does not happen in our cabinet. What will happen with this particular draft legislation is that — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Girrawheen! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : What will happen in relation to this and a whole raft of other legislation that will hopefully make the roads safer for innocent people is that it will be going to the Ministerial Council on Road Safety meeting next month—in June. I am hopeful that the MCRS will support the legislation. It will then go to cabinet. I am hopeful that cabinet will also support the legislation. It will then come into this place. That is the way the process works. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Will it come in this year or the year after? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It will come in this year. That is my intention. The problem is that I have about six or eight lots of draft legislation going on at the moment, and I know my other colleagues are in the same situation. We have so much legislation to deal with that we are competing among ourselves to get it through the cabinet process and into this place. Mr M. McGowan : Then sit more! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is not a question of sitting more, my friend. What we have been doing up until now is passing the legislation that the former government neglected to pass when it was in government! The former government was in a such a hurry to get out there and wave the white flag and say, “We cannot do this job any more; come and do it for us”, that we are now having to pass that government’s legislation. That is what we are doing, my friend. We have done so in good faith. From now on, the opposition will see our legislation being passed. It will be some really tough legislation—the toughest in Australia—to deal with people who abuse the road laws. I will be “Mr Bad Boy”. I do not mind that. I intend to make sure that we take off the roads those people who put innocent lives at risk. I make a promise to this Parliament that I will not rest until I get all that legislation in here and we deal with those recalcitrant people who keep putting other people’s lives at risk.
Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Girrawheen! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : What will happen in relation to this and a whole raft of other legislation that will hopefully make the roads safer for innocent people is that it will be going to the Ministerial Council on Road Safety meeting next month—in June. I am hopeful that the MCRS will support the legislation. It will then go to cabinet. I am hopeful that cabinet will also support the legislation. It will then come into this place. That is the way the process works. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Will it come in this year or the year after? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It will come in this year. That is my intention. The problem is that I have about six or eight lots of draft legislation going on at the moment, and I know my other colleagues are in the same situation. We have so much legislation to deal with that we are competing among ourselves to get it through the cabinet process and into this place. Mr M. McGowan : Then sit more! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is not a question of sitting more, my friend. What we have been doing up until now is passing the legislation that the former government neglected to pass when it was in government! The former government was in a such a hurry to get out there and wave the white flag and say, “We cannot do this job any more; come and do it for us”, that we are now having to pass that government’s legislation. That is what we are doing, my friend. We have done so in good faith. From now on, the opposition will see our legislation being passed. It will be some really tough legislation—the toughest in Australia—to deal with people who abuse the road laws. I will be “Mr Bad Boy”. I do not mind that. I intend to make sure that we take off the roads those people who put innocent lives at risk. I make a promise to this Parliament that I will not rest until I get all that legislation in here and we deal with those recalcitrant people who keep putting other people’s lives at risk.
The SPEAKER : Order, member for Girrawheen! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : What will happen in relation to this and a whole raft of other legislation that will hopefully make the roads safer for innocent people is that it will be going to the Ministerial Council on Road Safety meeting next month—in June. I am hopeful that the MCRS will support the legislation. It will then go to cabinet. I am hopeful that cabinet will also support the legislation. It will then come into this place. That is the way the process works. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Will it come in this year or the year after? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It will come in this year. That is my intention. The problem is that I have about six or eight lots of draft legislation going on at the moment, and I know my other colleagues are in the same situation. We have so much legislation to deal with that we are competing among ourselves to get it through the cabinet process and into this place. Mr M. McGowan : Then sit more! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is not a question of sitting more, my friend. What we have been doing up until now is passing the legislation that the former government neglected to pass when it was in government! The former government was in a such a hurry to get out there and wave the white flag and say, “We cannot do this job any more; come and do it for us”, that we are now having to pass that government’s legislation. That is what we are doing, my friend. We have done so in good faith. From now on, the opposition will see our legislation being passed. It will be some really tough legislation—the toughest in Australia—to deal with people who abuse the road laws. I will be “Mr Bad Boy”. I do not mind that. I intend to make sure that we take off the roads those people who put innocent lives at risk. I make a promise to this Parliament that I will not rest until I get all that legislation in here and we deal with those recalcitrant people who keep putting other people’s lives at risk.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : What will happen in relation to this and a whole raft of other legislation that will hopefully make the roads safer for innocent people is that it will be going to the Ministerial Council on Road Safety meeting next month—in June. I am hopeful that the MCRS will support the legislation. It will then go to cabinet. I am hopeful that cabinet will also support the legislation. It will then come into this place. That is the way the process works. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Will it come in this year or the year after? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It will come in this year. That is my intention. The problem is that I have about six or eight lots of draft legislation going on at the moment, and I know my other colleagues are in the same situation. We have so much legislation to deal with that we are competing among ourselves to get it through the cabinet process and into this place. Mr M. McGowan : Then sit more! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is not a question of sitting more, my friend. What we have been doing up until now is passing the legislation that the former government neglected to pass when it was in government! The former government was in a such a hurry to get out there and wave the white flag and say, “We cannot do this job any more; come and do it for us”, that we are now having to pass that government’s legislation. That is what we are doing, my friend. We have done so in good faith. From now on, the opposition will see our legislation being passed. It will be some really tough legislation—the toughest in Australia—to deal with people who abuse the road laws. I will be “Mr Bad Boy”. I do not mind that. I intend to make sure that we take off the roads those people who put innocent lives at risk. I make a promise to this Parliament that I will not rest until I get all that legislation in here and we deal with those recalcitrant people who keep putting other people’s lives at risk.
Mrs M.H. Roberts : Will it come in this year or the year after? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It will come in this year. That is my intention. The problem is that I have about six or eight lots of draft legislation going on at the moment, and I know my other colleagues are in the same situation. We have so much legislation to deal with that we are competing among ourselves to get it through the cabinet process and into this place. Mr M. McGowan : Then sit more! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is not a question of sitting more, my friend. What we have been doing up until now is passing the legislation that the former government neglected to pass when it was in government! The former government was in a such a hurry to get out there and wave the white flag and say, “We cannot do this job any more; come and do it for us”, that we are now having to pass that government’s legislation. That is what we are doing, my friend. We have done so in good faith. From now on, the opposition will see our legislation being passed. It will be some really tough legislation—the toughest in Australia—to deal with people who abuse the road laws. I will be “Mr Bad Boy”. I do not mind that. I intend to make sure that we take off the roads those people who put innocent lives at risk. I make a promise to this Parliament that I will not rest until I get all that legislation in here and we deal with those recalcitrant people who keep putting other people’s lives at risk.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It will come in this year. That is my intention. The problem is that I have about six or eight lots of draft legislation going on at the moment, and I know my other colleagues are in the same situation. We have so much legislation to deal with that we are competing among ourselves to get it through the cabinet process and into this place. Mr M. McGowan : Then sit more! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is not a question of sitting more, my friend. What we have been doing up until now is passing the legislation that the former government neglected to pass when it was in government! The former government was in a such a hurry to get out there and wave the white flag and say, “We cannot do this job any more; come and do it for us”, that we are now having to pass that government’s legislation. That is what we are doing, my friend. We have done so in good faith. From now on, the opposition will see our legislation being passed. It will be some really tough legislation—the toughest in Australia—to deal with people who abuse the road laws. I will be “Mr Bad Boy”. I do not mind that. I intend to make sure that we take off the roads those people who put innocent lives at risk. I make a promise to this Parliament that I will not rest until I get all that legislation in here and we deal with those recalcitrant people who keep putting other people’s lives at risk.
Mr M. McGowan : Then sit more! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is not a question of sitting more, my friend. What we have been doing up until now is passing the legislation that the former government neglected to pass when it was in government! The former government was in a such a hurry to get out there and wave the white flag and say, “We cannot do this job any more; come and do it for us”, that we are now having to pass that government’s legislation. That is what we are doing, my friend. We have done so in good faith. From now on, the opposition will see our legislation being passed. It will be some really tough legislation—the toughest in Australia—to deal with people who abuse the road laws. I will be “Mr Bad Boy”. I do not mind that. I intend to make sure that we take off the roads those people who put innocent lives at risk. I make a promise to this Parliament that I will not rest until I get all that legislation in here and we deal with those recalcitrant people who keep putting other people’s lives at risk.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is not a question of sitting more, my friend. What we have been doing up until now is passing the legislation that the former government neglected to pass when it was in government! The former government was in a such a hurry to get out there and wave the white flag and say, “We cannot do this job any more; come and do it for us”, that we are now having to pass that government’s legislation. That is what we are doing, my friend. We have done so in good faith. From now on, the opposition will see our legislation being passed. It will be some really tough legislation—the toughest in Australia—to deal with people who abuse the road laws. I will be “Mr Bad Boy”. I do not mind that. I intend to make sure that we take off the roads those people who put innocent lives at risk. I make a promise to this Parliament that I will not rest until I get all that legislation in here and we deal with those recalcitrant people who keep putting other people’s lives at risk.
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