Page 4477 - Week 14 - Thursday, 1 December 1994
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Ms Follett: We are debating a motion of no confidence, not the merits or otherwise of the legislation that has been passed.
MADAM SPEAKER: That is quite correct. Mr Connolly's reading of documents was absolutely pertinent to his case. Mrs Carnell, I ask you to make yours the same.
MRS CARNELL: That is true, so I will keep quoting, Madam Speaker, because it is absolutely relevant to the case. It is absolutely relevant to the case because of the comments that Mr Connolly has been making, absolutely outlandishly, over the last couple of days, basically about society as we know it breaking down, about an open slather. I think there were comments about cannabis being stolen out of little grannies' backyards - all of those sorts of things. If Mr Connolly had such a problem, he, like everyone else, is quite able to amend any amendment that is in front of this house. He is quite capable of doing that. If he was not sure that this - - -
Mr Connolly: I told you that what you were doing yesterday was foolish, and you acted. You have taken your party right down the blind alley.
MRS CARNELL: I thought that we were to be heard in silence, Madam Speaker.
MADAM SPEAKER: Proceed, Mrs Carnell. Order, Mr Connolly!
MRS CARNELL: If the Minister was not sure that this particular amendment was in line with medical research, or if it allowed medical research to be somewhat broader than he would like, there was absolutely nothing to stop him. Rather than do that, he decided to go down the track of being, I think, partisan political; he was going to show, without any doubt, that he had somewhat misplaced information on this particular issue. This particular press release says that the ACT law is perfectly consistent with our international treaty obligations. Yesterday Mr Connolly said that that was not the case. Remember that this is a lawyer who - - -
Mr De Domenico: Dr Lawrence would not agree - - -
MRS CARNELL: That is right. It goes on to say:
The new ACT law clearly limits the legal use of cannabis to those being treated by doctors undertaking medical research.
Again, this was said by a solicitor. It is another legal opinion, it seems. It goes on to say:
It is unfortunate that we have seen the usual over-reaction to this very modest change to the drug laws.
This overreaction was on the part of the Minister. I must admit that I am really surprised with the Minister on this whole issue. If the Minister had problems, if there are any difficulties in this legislation which would lead to any open slather, I know that Mr Moore and I, and all the Independents, would be very happy to look at those issues, to look at them sensibly, and to look at them in this place. But, no; Mr Connolly chooses to go
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