Page 4438 - Week 14 - Thursday, 1 December 1994
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Cannabis Law Reform
MRS GRASSBY: My question to the Minister for Health is in the context of the Liberals' 3D policy - on drugs, death and decriminalisation. Could the Minister inform the Assembly of any action that the Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy is taking on the issue of cannabis law reform?
MR CONNOLLY: The Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy, which is made up of Justice Ministers with police or Attorney-General portfolio responsibilities and Health Ministers around Australia - State, Territory and national - has for some time been looking at the issue of cannabis. It has published a number of very serious research papers, which I have quoted from before. In September, at the ministerial meeting, it released a major report which recommended those controlled clinical trials of - interestingly enough - synthetic cannabinoids, not the open slather reefer approach that the Liberals passed yesterday. That controlled clinical research would occur pursuant to the provisions of the equivalent of Part IV of our Drugs of Dependence Act. Mrs Carnell says that, because the term "medical research" appears in section 171, it must mean Part IV - - -
Mrs Carnell: Do you mean that medical research cannot happen with a plant product?
MR CONNOLLY: "Medical research", Mrs Carnell, is a term used nowhere in Part IV of the Act. The term "medical research" is used nowhere, quite deliberately, because the type of research that can occur and can be approved may be medical research, properly defined; it may be veterinary research - and there have been some projects to do that - or it may be scientific research. We have received requests for approval for scientific research. So, for you to say that, because the term "medical research" appears in your section 171, it is caught up in the safeguards of Part IV is foolish and wrong. When you read the legal advice - and get some from any lawyer - you will find that you will not be able to do it. You are a fool. You are being made to look a fool nationally by what you have done. Madam Speaker, there is provision - - -
Mr Humphries: Madam Speaker, you ruled that out before.
Mr Moore: With the lack of compassion that you show for people dying with AIDS, your wearing of those red ribbons makes you an appalling hypocrite.
MADAM SPEAKER: Order, Mr Moore!
MR CONNOLLY: The rabble from back here say that I have no compassion for people dying of AIDS.
MADAM SPEAKER: Mr Connolly, just a minute. Order! I have asked you not to call Mrs Carnell a fool. You may say that she appears to be a fool, but you may not call her a fool. Would you withdraw that.
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