❓ Question regarding the government's stance on cannabis cultivation, prompted by a booby-trapped cannabis setup. The Minister defends the government's position and accuses the opposition of being soft on cannabis, leading to heated debate and disorder in parliament.
AnsweredQoN 622Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
cannabis cultivation — government stance
On behalf of the member for Murray–Wellington, I first acknowledge the students and teacher from Dwellingup Primary School. I was stunned to hear about the incident in my electorate yesterday when local police uncovered a booby-trapped cannabis set-up in a suburban backyard. Given the opposition’s soft approach to cannabis, can the minister outline to the house the National–Liberal government’s stance on the issue? Mr R.F. JOHNSON
On behalf of the member for Murray–Wellington, I first acknowledge the students and teacher from Dwellingup Primary School. I was stunned to hear about the incident in my electorate yesterday when local police uncovered a booby-trapped cannabis set-up in a suburban backyard. Given the opposition’s soft approach to cannabis, can the minister outline to the house the National–Liberal government’s stance on the issue? Mr R.F. JOHNSON
AnswerView source ↗
Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I thank the member for Geraldton for his question. I know that he is really serious and has conviction in his interest in relation to drugs and what they do to children in this state, and the soft approach of members opposite. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Last night we spent hours on the Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill and the opposition, the Labor Party, desperately wanted to take out of the bill any penalties for the cultivation of cannabis. Ms M.M. Quirk : No, we didn’t. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Yes, you did. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Withdrawal of Remark Mr J.M. FRANCIS : The member for Cannington just called the Minister for Police a liar. Several members interjected. Mr W.J. Johnston : I did not. The SPEAKER : Member for Cannington, I did not hear the comment myself, as there were quite a few interjections, but if you did indeed infer that there was a lie or someone was a liar, I would instruct you to withdraw it. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I withdraw. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The comments that — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the second time today. I think some people want an answer to the question; a number might be interested in the answer. I am one of them; I would be interested to hear the answer. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The opposition argued that the cultivation of cannabis posed no risk to children. Several members interjected. Ms M.M. Quirk : That is not what we said! The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
I was stunned to hear about the incident in my electorate yesterday when local police uncovered a booby-trapped cannabis set-up in a suburban backyard. Given the opposition’s soft approach to cannabis, can the minister outline to the house the National–Liberal government’s stance on the issue? Mr R.F. JOHNSON replied: Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I thank the member for Geraldton for his question. I know that he is really serious and has conviction in his interest in relation to drugs and what they do to children in this state, and the soft approach of members opposite. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Last night we spent hours on the Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill and the opposition, the Labor Party, desperately wanted to take out of the bill any penalties for the cultivation of cannabis. Ms M.M. Quirk : No, we didn’t. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Yes, you did. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Withdrawal of Remark Mr J.M. FRANCIS : The member for Cannington just called the Minister for Police a liar. Several members interjected. Mr W.J. Johnston : I did not. The SPEAKER : Member for Cannington, I did not hear the comment myself, as there were quite a few interjections, but if you did indeed infer that there was a lie or someone was a liar, I would instruct you to withdraw it. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I withdraw. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The comments that — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the second time today. I think some people want an answer to the question; a number might be interested in the answer. I am one of them; I would be interested to hear the answer. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The opposition argued that the cultivation of cannabis posed no risk to children. Several members interjected. Ms M.M. Quirk : That is not what we said! The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Mr R.F. JOHNSON replied: Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I thank the member for Geraldton for his question. I know that he is really serious and has conviction in his interest in relation to drugs and what they do to children in this state, and the soft approach of members opposite. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Last night we spent hours on the Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill and the opposition, the Labor Party, desperately wanted to take out of the bill any penalties for the cultivation of cannabis. Ms M.M. Quirk : No, we didn’t. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Yes, you did. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Withdrawal of Remark Mr J.M. FRANCIS : The member for Cannington just called the Minister for Police a liar. Several members interjected. Mr W.J. Johnston : I did not. The SPEAKER : Member for Cannington, I did not hear the comment myself, as there were quite a few interjections, but if you did indeed infer that there was a lie or someone was a liar, I would instruct you to withdraw it. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I withdraw. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The comments that — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the second time today. I think some people want an answer to the question; a number might be interested in the answer. I am one of them; I would be interested to hear the answer. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The opposition argued that the cultivation of cannabis posed no risk to children. Several members interjected. Ms M.M. Quirk : That is not what we said! The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I thank the member for Geraldton for his question. I know that he is really serious and has conviction in his interest in relation to drugs and what they do to children in this state, and the soft approach of members opposite. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Last night we spent hours on the Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill and the opposition, the Labor Party, desperately wanted to take out of the bill any penalties for the cultivation of cannabis. Ms M.M. Quirk : No, we didn’t. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Yes, you did. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Withdrawal of Remark Mr J.M. FRANCIS : The member for Cannington just called the Minister for Police a liar. Several members interjected. Mr W.J. Johnston : I did not. The SPEAKER : Member for Cannington, I did not hear the comment myself, as there were quite a few interjections, but if you did indeed infer that there was a lie or someone was a liar, I would instruct you to withdraw it. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I withdraw. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The comments that — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the second time today. I think some people want an answer to the question; a number might be interested in the answer. I am one of them; I would be interested to hear the answer. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The opposition argued that the cultivation of cannabis posed no risk to children. Several members interjected. Ms M.M. Quirk : That is not what we said! The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I thank the member for Geraldton for his question. I know that he is really serious and has conviction in his interest in relation to drugs and what they do to children in this state, and the soft approach of members opposite. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Last night we spent hours on the Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill and the opposition, the Labor Party, desperately wanted to take out of the bill any penalties for the cultivation of cannabis. Ms M.M. Quirk : No, we didn’t. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Yes, you did. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Withdrawal of Remark Mr J.M. FRANCIS : The member for Cannington just called the Minister for Police a liar. Several members interjected. Mr W.J. Johnston : I did not. The SPEAKER : Member for Cannington, I did not hear the comment myself, as there were quite a few interjections, but if you did indeed infer that there was a lie or someone was a liar, I would instruct you to withdraw it. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I withdraw. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The comments that — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the second time today. I think some people want an answer to the question; a number might be interested in the answer. I am one of them; I would be interested to hear the answer. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The opposition argued that the cultivation of cannabis posed no risk to children. Several members interjected. Ms M.M. Quirk : That is not what we said! The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I thank the member for Geraldton for his question. I know that he is really serious and has conviction in his interest in relation to drugs and what they do to children in this state, and the soft approach of members opposite. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Last night we spent hours on the Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill and the opposition, the Labor Party, desperately wanted to take out of the bill any penalties for the cultivation of cannabis. Ms M.M. Quirk : No, we didn’t. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Yes, you did. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Withdrawal of Remark Mr J.M. FRANCIS : The member for Cannington just called the Minister for Police a liar. Several members interjected. Mr W.J. Johnston : I did not. The SPEAKER : Member for Cannington, I did not hear the comment myself, as there were quite a few interjections, but if you did indeed infer that there was a lie or someone was a liar, I would instruct you to withdraw it. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I withdraw. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The comments that — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the second time today. I think some people want an answer to the question; a number might be interested in the answer. I am one of them; I would be interested to hear the answer. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The opposition argued that the cultivation of cannabis posed no risk to children. Several members interjected. Ms M.M. Quirk : That is not what we said! The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I thank the member for Geraldton for his question. I know that he is really serious and has conviction in his interest in relation to drugs and what they do to children in this state, and the soft approach of members opposite. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Last night we spent hours on the Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill and the opposition, the Labor Party, desperately wanted to take out of the bill any penalties for the cultivation of cannabis. Ms M.M. Quirk : No, we didn’t. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Yes, you did. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Withdrawal of Remark Mr J.M. FRANCIS : The member for Cannington just called the Minister for Police a liar. Several members interjected. Mr W.J. Johnston : I did not. The SPEAKER : Member for Cannington, I did not hear the comment myself, as there were quite a few interjections, but if you did indeed infer that there was a lie or someone was a liar, I would instruct you to withdraw it. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I withdraw. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The comments that — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the second time today. I think some people want an answer to the question; a number might be interested in the answer. I am one of them; I would be interested to hear the answer. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The opposition argued that the cultivation of cannabis posed no risk to children. Several members interjected. Ms M.M. Quirk : That is not what we said! The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Last night we spent hours on the Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill and the opposition, the Labor Party, desperately wanted to take out of the bill any penalties for the cultivation of cannabis. Ms M.M. Quirk : No, we didn’t. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Yes, you did. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Withdrawal of Remark Mr J.M. FRANCIS : The member for Cannington just called the Minister for Police a liar. Several members interjected. Mr W.J. Johnston : I did not. The SPEAKER : Member for Cannington, I did not hear the comment myself, as there were quite a few interjections, but if you did indeed infer that there was a lie or someone was a liar, I would instruct you to withdraw it. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I withdraw. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The comments that — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the second time today. I think some people want an answer to the question; a number might be interested in the answer. I am one of them; I would be interested to hear the answer. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The opposition argued that the cultivation of cannabis posed no risk to children. Several members interjected. Ms M.M. Quirk : That is not what we said! The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Last night we spent hours on the Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill and the opposition, the Labor Party, desperately wanted to take out of the bill any penalties for the cultivation of cannabis. Ms M.M. Quirk : No, we didn’t. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Yes, you did. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Withdrawal of Remark Mr J.M. FRANCIS : The member for Cannington just called the Minister for Police a liar. Several members interjected. Mr W.J. Johnston : I did not. The SPEAKER : Member for Cannington, I did not hear the comment myself, as there were quite a few interjections, but if you did indeed infer that there was a lie or someone was a liar, I would instruct you to withdraw it. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I withdraw. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The comments that — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the second time today. I think some people want an answer to the question; a number might be interested in the answer. I am one of them; I would be interested to hear the answer. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The opposition argued that the cultivation of cannabis posed no risk to children. Several members interjected. Ms M.M. Quirk : That is not what we said! The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Last night we spent hours on the Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill and the opposition, the Labor Party, desperately wanted to take out of the bill any penalties for the cultivation of cannabis. Ms M.M. Quirk : No, we didn’t. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Yes, you did. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Withdrawal of Remark Mr J.M. FRANCIS : The member for Cannington just called the Minister for Police a liar. Several members interjected. Mr W.J. Johnston : I did not. The SPEAKER : Member for Cannington, I did not hear the comment myself, as there were quite a few interjections, but if you did indeed infer that there was a lie or someone was a liar, I would instruct you to withdraw it. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I withdraw. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The comments that — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the second time today. I think some people want an answer to the question; a number might be interested in the answer. I am one of them; I would be interested to hear the answer. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The opposition argued that the cultivation of cannabis posed no risk to children. Several members interjected. Ms M.M. Quirk : That is not what we said! The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Ms M.M. Quirk : No, we didn’t. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Yes, you did. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Withdrawal of Remark Mr J.M. FRANCIS : The member for Cannington just called the Minister for Police a liar. Several members interjected. Mr W.J. Johnston : I did not. The SPEAKER : Member for Cannington, I did not hear the comment myself, as there were quite a few interjections, but if you did indeed infer that there was a lie or someone was a liar, I would instruct you to withdraw it. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I withdraw. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The comments that — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the second time today. I think some people want an answer to the question; a number might be interested in the answer. I am one of them; I would be interested to hear the answer. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The opposition argued that the cultivation of cannabis posed no risk to children. Several members interjected. Ms M.M. Quirk : That is not what we said! The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Yes, you did. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Withdrawal of Remark Mr J.M. FRANCIS : The member for Cannington just called the Minister for Police a liar. Several members interjected. Mr W.J. Johnston : I did not. The SPEAKER : Member for Cannington, I did not hear the comment myself, as there were quite a few interjections, but if you did indeed infer that there was a lie or someone was a liar, I would instruct you to withdraw it. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I withdraw. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The comments that — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the second time today. I think some people want an answer to the question; a number might be interested in the answer. I am one of them; I would be interested to hear the answer. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The opposition argued that the cultivation of cannabis posed no risk to children. Several members interjected. Ms M.M. Quirk : That is not what we said! The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Withdrawal of Remark Mr J.M. FRANCIS : The member for Cannington just called the Minister for Police a liar. Several members interjected. Mr W.J. Johnston : I did not. The SPEAKER : Member for Cannington, I did not hear the comment myself, as there were quite a few interjections, but if you did indeed infer that there was a lie or someone was a liar, I would instruct you to withdraw it. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I withdraw. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The comments that — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the second time today. I think some people want an answer to the question; a number might be interested in the answer. I am one of them; I would be interested to hear the answer. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The opposition argued that the cultivation of cannabis posed no risk to children. Several members interjected. Ms M.M. Quirk : That is not what we said! The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
The SPEAKER : Members! Withdrawal of Remark Mr J.M. FRANCIS : The member for Cannington just called the Minister for Police a liar. Several members interjected. Mr W.J. Johnston : I did not. The SPEAKER : Member for Cannington, I did not hear the comment myself, as there were quite a few interjections, but if you did indeed infer that there was a lie or someone was a liar, I would instruct you to withdraw it. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I withdraw. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The comments that — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the second time today. I think some people want an answer to the question; a number might be interested in the answer. I am one of them; I would be interested to hear the answer. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The opposition argued that the cultivation of cannabis posed no risk to children. Several members interjected. Ms M.M. Quirk : That is not what we said! The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Several members interjected. Mr W.J. Johnston : I did not. The SPEAKER : Member for Cannington, I did not hear the comment myself, as there were quite a few interjections, but if you did indeed infer that there was a lie or someone was a liar, I would instruct you to withdraw it. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I withdraw. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The comments that — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the second time today. I think some people want an answer to the question; a number might be interested in the answer. I am one of them; I would be interested to hear the answer. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The opposition argued that the cultivation of cannabis posed no risk to children. Several members interjected. Ms M.M. Quirk : That is not what we said! The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Mr W.J. Johnston : I did not. The SPEAKER : Member for Cannington, I did not hear the comment myself, as there were quite a few interjections, but if you did indeed infer that there was a lie or someone was a liar, I would instruct you to withdraw it. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I withdraw. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The comments that — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the second time today. I think some people want an answer to the question; a number might be interested in the answer. I am one of them; I would be interested to hear the answer. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The opposition argued that the cultivation of cannabis posed no risk to children. Several members interjected. Ms M.M. Quirk : That is not what we said! The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
The SPEAKER : Member for Cannington, I did not hear the comment myself, as there were quite a few interjections, but if you did indeed infer that there was a lie or someone was a liar, I would instruct you to withdraw it. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I withdraw. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The comments that — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the second time today. I think some people want an answer to the question; a number might be interested in the answer. I am one of them; I would be interested to hear the answer. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The opposition argued that the cultivation of cannabis posed no risk to children. Several members interjected. Ms M.M. Quirk : That is not what we said! The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I withdraw. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The comments that — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the second time today. I think some people want an answer to the question; a number might be interested in the answer. I am one of them; I would be interested to hear the answer. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The opposition argued that the cultivation of cannabis posed no risk to children. Several members interjected. Ms M.M. Quirk : That is not what we said! The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the second time today. I think some people want an answer to the question; a number might be interested in the answer. I am one of them; I would be interested to hear the answer. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The opposition argued that the cultivation of cannabis posed no risk to children. Several members interjected. Ms M.M. Quirk : That is not what we said! The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
The SPEAKER : Members! Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the second time today. I think some people want an answer to the question; a number might be interested in the answer. I am one of them; I would be interested to hear the answer. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The opposition argued that the cultivation of cannabis posed no risk to children. Several members interjected. Ms M.M. Quirk : That is not what we said! The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The opposition argued that the cultivation of cannabis posed no risk to children. Several members interjected. Ms M.M. Quirk : That is not what we said! The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Several members interjected. Ms M.M. Quirk : That is not what we said! The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Ms M.M. Quirk : That is not what we said! The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
I was stunned to hear about the incident in my electorate yesterday when local police uncovered a booby-trapped cannabis set-up in a suburban backyard. Given the opposition’s soft approach to cannabis, can the minister outline to the house the National–Liberal government’s stance on the issue? Mr R.F. JOHNSON replied: Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I thank the member for Geraldton for his question. I know that he is really serious and has conviction in his interest in relation to drugs and what they do to children in this state, and the soft approach of members opposite. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Last night we spent hours on the Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill and the opposition, the Labor Party, desperately wanted to take out of the bill any penalties for the cultivation of cannabis. Ms M.M. Quirk : No, we didn’t. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Yes, you did. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Withdrawal of Remark Mr J.M. FRANCIS : The member for Cannington just called the Minister for Police a liar. Several members interjected. Mr W.J. Johnston : I did not. The SPEAKER : Member for Cannington, I did not hear the comment myself, as there were quite a few interjections, but if you did indeed infer that there was a lie or someone was a liar, I would instruct you to withdraw it. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I withdraw. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The comments that — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the second time today. I think some people want an answer to the question; a number might be interested in the answer. I am one of them; I would be interested to hear the answer. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The opposition argued that the cultivation of cannabis posed no risk to children. Several members interjected. Ms M.M. Quirk : That is not what we said! The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Mr R.F. JOHNSON replied: Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I thank the member for Geraldton for his question. I know that he is really serious and has conviction in his interest in relation to drugs and what they do to children in this state, and the soft approach of members opposite. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Last night we spent hours on the Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill and the opposition, the Labor Party, desperately wanted to take out of the bill any penalties for the cultivation of cannabis. Ms M.M. Quirk : No, we didn’t. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Yes, you did. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Withdrawal of Remark Mr J.M. FRANCIS : The member for Cannington just called the Minister for Police a liar. Several members interjected. Mr W.J. Johnston : I did not. The SPEAKER : Member for Cannington, I did not hear the comment myself, as there were quite a few interjections, but if you did indeed infer that there was a lie or someone was a liar, I would instruct you to withdraw it. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I withdraw. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The comments that — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the second time today. I think some people want an answer to the question; a number might be interested in the answer. I am one of them; I would be interested to hear the answer. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The opposition argued that the cultivation of cannabis posed no risk to children. Several members interjected. Ms M.M. Quirk : That is not what we said! The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Mr Speaker — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I thank the member for Geraldton for his question. I know that he is really serious and has conviction in his interest in relation to drugs and what they do to children in this state, and the soft approach of members opposite. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Last night we spent hours on the Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill and the opposition, the Labor Party, desperately wanted to take out of the bill any penalties for the cultivation of cannabis. Ms M.M. Quirk : No, we didn’t. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Yes, you did. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Withdrawal of Remark Mr J.M. FRANCIS : The member for Cannington just called the Minister for Police a liar. Several members interjected. Mr W.J. Johnston : I did not. The SPEAKER : Member for Cannington, I did not hear the comment myself, as there were quite a few interjections, but if you did indeed infer that there was a lie or someone was a liar, I would instruct you to withdraw it. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I withdraw. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The comments that — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the second time today. I think some people want an answer to the question; a number might be interested in the answer. I am one of them; I would be interested to hear the answer. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The opposition argued that the cultivation of cannabis posed no risk to children. Several members interjected. Ms M.M. Quirk : That is not what we said! The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I thank the member for Geraldton for his question. I know that he is really serious and has conviction in his interest in relation to drugs and what they do to children in this state, and the soft approach of members opposite. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Last night we spent hours on the Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill and the opposition, the Labor Party, desperately wanted to take out of the bill any penalties for the cultivation of cannabis. Ms M.M. Quirk : No, we didn’t. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Yes, you did. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Withdrawal of Remark Mr J.M. FRANCIS : The member for Cannington just called the Minister for Police a liar. Several members interjected. Mr W.J. Johnston : I did not. The SPEAKER : Member for Cannington, I did not hear the comment myself, as there were quite a few interjections, but if you did indeed infer that there was a lie or someone was a liar, I would instruct you to withdraw it. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I withdraw. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The comments that — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the second time today. I think some people want an answer to the question; a number might be interested in the answer. I am one of them; I would be interested to hear the answer. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The opposition argued that the cultivation of cannabis posed no risk to children. Several members interjected. Ms M.M. Quirk : That is not what we said! The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I thank the member for Geraldton for his question. I know that he is really serious and has conviction in his interest in relation to drugs and what they do to children in this state, and the soft approach of members opposite. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Last night we spent hours on the Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill and the opposition, the Labor Party, desperately wanted to take out of the bill any penalties for the cultivation of cannabis. Ms M.M. Quirk : No, we didn’t. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Yes, you did. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Withdrawal of Remark Mr J.M. FRANCIS : The member for Cannington just called the Minister for Police a liar. Several members interjected. Mr W.J. Johnston : I did not. The SPEAKER : Member for Cannington, I did not hear the comment myself, as there were quite a few interjections, but if you did indeed infer that there was a lie or someone was a liar, I would instruct you to withdraw it. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I withdraw. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The comments that — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the second time today. I think some people want an answer to the question; a number might be interested in the answer. I am one of them; I would be interested to hear the answer. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The opposition argued that the cultivation of cannabis posed no risk to children. Several members interjected. Ms M.M. Quirk : That is not what we said! The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I thank the member for Geraldton for his question. I know that he is really serious and has conviction in his interest in relation to drugs and what they do to children in this state, and the soft approach of members opposite. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Last night we spent hours on the Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill and the opposition, the Labor Party, desperately wanted to take out of the bill any penalties for the cultivation of cannabis. Ms M.M. Quirk : No, we didn’t. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Yes, you did. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Withdrawal of Remark Mr J.M. FRANCIS : The member for Cannington just called the Minister for Police a liar. Several members interjected. Mr W.J. Johnston : I did not. The SPEAKER : Member for Cannington, I did not hear the comment myself, as there were quite a few interjections, but if you did indeed infer that there was a lie or someone was a liar, I would instruct you to withdraw it. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I withdraw. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The comments that — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the second time today. I think some people want an answer to the question; a number might be interested in the answer. I am one of them; I would be interested to hear the answer. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The opposition argued that the cultivation of cannabis posed no risk to children. Several members interjected. Ms M.M. Quirk : That is not what we said! The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Last night we spent hours on the Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill and the opposition, the Labor Party, desperately wanted to take out of the bill any penalties for the cultivation of cannabis. Ms M.M. Quirk : No, we didn’t. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Yes, you did. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Withdrawal of Remark Mr J.M. FRANCIS : The member for Cannington just called the Minister for Police a liar. Several members interjected. Mr W.J. Johnston : I did not. The SPEAKER : Member for Cannington, I did not hear the comment myself, as there were quite a few interjections, but if you did indeed infer that there was a lie or someone was a liar, I would instruct you to withdraw it. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I withdraw. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The comments that — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the second time today. I think some people want an answer to the question; a number might be interested in the answer. I am one of them; I would be interested to hear the answer. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The opposition argued that the cultivation of cannabis posed no risk to children. Several members interjected. Ms M.M. Quirk : That is not what we said! The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
The SPEAKER : Members! Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Last night we spent hours on the Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill and the opposition, the Labor Party, desperately wanted to take out of the bill any penalties for the cultivation of cannabis. Ms M.M. Quirk : No, we didn’t. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Yes, you did. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Withdrawal of Remark Mr J.M. FRANCIS : The member for Cannington just called the Minister for Police a liar. Several members interjected. Mr W.J. Johnston : I did not. The SPEAKER : Member for Cannington, I did not hear the comment myself, as there were quite a few interjections, but if you did indeed infer that there was a lie or someone was a liar, I would instruct you to withdraw it. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I withdraw. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The comments that — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the second time today. I think some people want an answer to the question; a number might be interested in the answer. I am one of them; I would be interested to hear the answer. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The opposition argued that the cultivation of cannabis posed no risk to children. Several members interjected. Ms M.M. Quirk : That is not what we said! The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Last night we spent hours on the Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill and the opposition, the Labor Party, desperately wanted to take out of the bill any penalties for the cultivation of cannabis. Ms M.M. Quirk : No, we didn’t. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Yes, you did. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Withdrawal of Remark Mr J.M. FRANCIS : The member for Cannington just called the Minister for Police a liar. Several members interjected. Mr W.J. Johnston : I did not. The SPEAKER : Member for Cannington, I did not hear the comment myself, as there were quite a few interjections, but if you did indeed infer that there was a lie or someone was a liar, I would instruct you to withdraw it. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I withdraw. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The comments that — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the second time today. I think some people want an answer to the question; a number might be interested in the answer. I am one of them; I would be interested to hear the answer. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The opposition argued that the cultivation of cannabis posed no risk to children. Several members interjected. Ms M.M. Quirk : That is not what we said! The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Ms M.M. Quirk : No, we didn’t. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Yes, you did. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Withdrawal of Remark Mr J.M. FRANCIS : The member for Cannington just called the Minister for Police a liar. Several members interjected. Mr W.J. Johnston : I did not. The SPEAKER : Member for Cannington, I did not hear the comment myself, as there were quite a few interjections, but if you did indeed infer that there was a lie or someone was a liar, I would instruct you to withdraw it. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I withdraw. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The comments that — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the second time today. I think some people want an answer to the question; a number might be interested in the answer. I am one of them; I would be interested to hear the answer. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The opposition argued that the cultivation of cannabis posed no risk to children. Several members interjected. Ms M.M. Quirk : That is not what we said! The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Yes, you did. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Withdrawal of Remark Mr J.M. FRANCIS : The member for Cannington just called the Minister for Police a liar. Several members interjected. Mr W.J. Johnston : I did not. The SPEAKER : Member for Cannington, I did not hear the comment myself, as there were quite a few interjections, but if you did indeed infer that there was a lie or someone was a liar, I would instruct you to withdraw it. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I withdraw. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The comments that — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the second time today. I think some people want an answer to the question; a number might be interested in the answer. I am one of them; I would be interested to hear the answer. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The opposition argued that the cultivation of cannabis posed no risk to children. Several members interjected. Ms M.M. Quirk : That is not what we said! The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Withdrawal of Remark Mr J.M. FRANCIS : The member for Cannington just called the Minister for Police a liar. Several members interjected. Mr W.J. Johnston : I did not. The SPEAKER : Member for Cannington, I did not hear the comment myself, as there were quite a few interjections, but if you did indeed infer that there was a lie or someone was a liar, I would instruct you to withdraw it. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I withdraw. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The comments that — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the second time today. I think some people want an answer to the question; a number might be interested in the answer. I am one of them; I would be interested to hear the answer. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The opposition argued that the cultivation of cannabis posed no risk to children. Several members interjected. Ms M.M. Quirk : That is not what we said! The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
The SPEAKER : Members! Withdrawal of Remark Mr J.M. FRANCIS : The member for Cannington just called the Minister for Police a liar. Several members interjected. Mr W.J. Johnston : I did not. The SPEAKER : Member for Cannington, I did not hear the comment myself, as there were quite a few interjections, but if you did indeed infer that there was a lie or someone was a liar, I would instruct you to withdraw it. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I withdraw. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The comments that — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the second time today. I think some people want an answer to the question; a number might be interested in the answer. I am one of them; I would be interested to hear the answer. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The opposition argued that the cultivation of cannabis posed no risk to children. Several members interjected. Ms M.M. Quirk : That is not what we said! The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Several members interjected. Mr W.J. Johnston : I did not. The SPEAKER : Member for Cannington, I did not hear the comment myself, as there were quite a few interjections, but if you did indeed infer that there was a lie or someone was a liar, I would instruct you to withdraw it. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I withdraw. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The comments that — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the second time today. I think some people want an answer to the question; a number might be interested in the answer. I am one of them; I would be interested to hear the answer. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The opposition argued that the cultivation of cannabis posed no risk to children. Several members interjected. Ms M.M. Quirk : That is not what we said! The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Mr W.J. Johnston : I did not. The SPEAKER : Member for Cannington, I did not hear the comment myself, as there were quite a few interjections, but if you did indeed infer that there was a lie or someone was a liar, I would instruct you to withdraw it. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I withdraw. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The comments that — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the second time today. I think some people want an answer to the question; a number might be interested in the answer. I am one of them; I would be interested to hear the answer. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The opposition argued that the cultivation of cannabis posed no risk to children. Several members interjected. Ms M.M. Quirk : That is not what we said! The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
The SPEAKER : Member for Cannington, I did not hear the comment myself, as there were quite a few interjections, but if you did indeed infer that there was a lie or someone was a liar, I would instruct you to withdraw it. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I withdraw. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The comments that — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the second time today. I think some people want an answer to the question; a number might be interested in the answer. I am one of them; I would be interested to hear the answer. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The opposition argued that the cultivation of cannabis posed no risk to children. Several members interjected. Ms M.M. Quirk : That is not what we said! The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I withdraw. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The comments that — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the second time today. I think some people want an answer to the question; a number might be interested in the answer. I am one of them; I would be interested to hear the answer. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The opposition argued that the cultivation of cannabis posed no risk to children. Several members interjected. Ms M.M. Quirk : That is not what we said! The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the second time today. I think some people want an answer to the question; a number might be interested in the answer. I am one of them; I would be interested to hear the answer. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The opposition argued that the cultivation of cannabis posed no risk to children. Several members interjected. Ms M.M. Quirk : That is not what we said! The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
The SPEAKER : Members! Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the second time today. I think some people want an answer to the question; a number might be interested in the answer. I am one of them; I would be interested to hear the answer. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The opposition argued that the cultivation of cannabis posed no risk to children. Several members interjected. Ms M.M. Quirk : That is not what we said! The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The opposition argued that the cultivation of cannabis posed no risk to children. Several members interjected. Ms M.M. Quirk : That is not what we said! The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Several members interjected. Ms M.M. Quirk : That is not what we said! The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Ms M.M. Quirk : That is not what we said! The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the first and second times today. Member for Joondalup, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today. You are all formally called to order. Point of Order Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to make the point that members are interjecting and sometimes members go a bit far, but when a minister stands and launches an attack on those members and is, I think, misleading in what he says, perhaps some latitude needs to be given or some direction to the minister to not be so political in his answer. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham, I will not respond to your point of order. It is suffice to say that I will make the determination in this place on how much leniency is given. As the member for Rockingham would know and as most people in this place might acknowledge, I provide a considerable amount of leniency to people on both sides in this place. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I think it is important that members know that at the site of the incident in Geraldton yesterday where the police uncovered 12 cannabis plants, they discovered booby traps near the plants consisting of pieces of wood, with four-inch and six-inch nails sticking through, buried in the ground around the plants. That goes to show how far cannabis growers will go to protect their crops. The simple fact is that the cultivation of cannabis is dangerous. We argued for hours last night in this chamber and the opposition said that it did not believe there was enough harm to children to include cannabis — Point of Order Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I rise under standing order 50. The minister—I do not know whether deliberately, but apparently deliberately—is misrepresenting the issues raised by the opposition last night. I would ask you to act, in accordance with the provisions, on the grave disorder that he is bringing to this chamber by making false allegation against this side of the chamber. The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
The SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Cannington. I note standing order 50. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr R.F. JOHNSON : It is interesting that the very member who raised the point of order—which was not a point of order, I hasten to say—is the member who spent an hour last night talking about wanting to bury the legislation in a parliamentary committee for 12 months. He wanted the bill to go to a committee for 12 months. That is the member’s commitment and the Labor Party’s commitment to protecting our children against illegal drugs and drug labs. That is what he did. Last night, the member for Cannington spent one hour on his motion to refer the bill to a committee. The report-back time — Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Ms M.M. Quirk interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Member for Cannington, I formally call you to order for the third time today. Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Mrs C.A. Martin interjected. The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
The SPEAKER : I do not need to hear anything from you, member for Kimberley—not a word. As far as I am concerned, both sides of the house might want to leave this place now. This is providing a marvellous exhibition of democracy. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : The problem is that some people do not like the truth. There is a definite danger to children on cannabis cultivation sites; there is no doubt about that. For example, around cannabis cultivation sites, apart from booby traps, are fertilisers, nutrients, insecticides in large or concentrated quantities, and unlawful connections to electricity and use of kerosene heaters, which pose a fire hazard. All those things are dangerous to children. The purpose of that clause in the bill is to try to protect the children of WA from being in areas of harm and being harmed. The opposition did everything it could last night to bury that for a year in a parliamentary committee. During that year, we would have seen children harmed, at least in areas where clandestine drug labs are set up. It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
It is not only me saying these things. Even the alternative Leader of the Opposition, Alannah MacTiernan, gave her two-cents worth on the issue a few weeks ago, which is not remarkable given that she seems to give her opinion on just about everything these days. She tried to say that the Labor Party’s cannabis reform had been a success and that its decriminalisation of the drug had not increased cannabis use. However, her argument was shot down in flames by respected drug treatment administrator Dr George O’Neil, who pointed out that a 2010 survey showed a significant rise in cannabis use in WA. He went on to say — The new cannabis laws in WA make it absolutely clear that cannabis is illegal. There is a reduction in drug use when young people are informed of what their community has made illegal and disapproves of. Perceptions of safety and acceptability increase drug use. We all need to keep young people aware that suicide — Several members interjected. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Opposition members do not want to hear what Dr George O’Neil says, do they? Opposition members ought to be ashamed of themselves. That is not me saying this; that is Dr George O’Neil, who is an expert on drugs and the damage they do to young people. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for Police, I hope that you are very close to the end of this answer. Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Mr M.P. Whitely interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I do not need to hear that and I do not think that you need to say it. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : I am going to conclude my remarks now; I take your direction. I want to say one thing to all the drug dealers, drug takers, drug pushers and drug manufacturers in these illegal clandestine labs: if you want a government that is going to do everything you want, vote Labor at the next election!
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