Page 4466 - Week 14 - Thursday, 1 December 1994
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Later on, on the next page, it says, for emphasis:
The Amendment does not alter the operation of the Act in relation to the supply of cannabis.
How can that be consistent with the statement that it is open slather on the supply of cannabis?
Mr Connolly: Open slather to prescribe cannabis to anyone.
MR HUMPHRIES: I do not think that those words appeared in connection with each other earlier today. "In connection with prescription" did not appear in conjunction with "open slather".
Madam Speaker, the other matter which Mr Moore has drawn attention to is the press release by the AIDS Action Council. Mr Connolly was very definite - at least, again, it appeared to me that he was very definite - during question time in referring to this question of what the AIDS Action Council thought about the action that had been taken by the Assembly yesterday. He created a very strong impression, in my mind - in fact, it caused me some surprise - that the AIDS Action Council did not support the decision taken by the Assembly yesterday. Mr Moore has already quoted this press release, so I will not do so; but I find it impossible to consider, on reading this press release, that anything other than full support by the AIDS Action Council of the ACT for the decision of the Assembly yesterday is reasonable. That is a perfectly reasonable interpretation of what they say. Indeed, they say that people with AIDS would benefit from the provision of cannabis for medical use.
Mr Connolly: Which they can get under the existing Act, and which is in no way dependent upon your foolish amendments. Therefore, you cannot draw on that press release as support for your foolish amendments.
MR HUMPHRIES: Is Mr Connolly saying that it is mere coincidence that the AIDS Action Council put out a press release today referring to the wonderful benefits of people with AIDS getting access to cannabis for medical use? Is it mere coincidence that this occurred today after - - -
Mr Connolly: They were asked for their views on the medical use of cannabis.
MR HUMPHRIES: They were asked about the medical use of cannabis.
Mr Connolly: Yes.
MR HUMPHRIES: So, this is a press release in answer to a specific question which in fact divorces this issue altogether from what was done in the Assembly yesterday?
Mr Connolly: That is pretty much right, I think.
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