Page 4947 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 28 November 2018
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
consider whether their actions are in line with the people they claim to represent. Fifty-four per cent of Canberrans support legalisation; 27 per cent oppose it. If you think about how many people voted for the Liberal Party last time, you will have to do some maths to try to get those figures to work.
This bill was first unveiled about two months ago. You have had two months to look over a small document, a tiny document, something like 10 pages. You could read it whilst I am talking now. The idea that you have not had enough time to think about this issue is ludicrous, and the way I know that is by how well spoken Mr Hanson was in his speech just then. He is aware of the facts; he has been researching it; he has been talking about it. He knows his views on cannabis.
We have had two months already, but we are also going to have more time. This would be coming back in February. It is still November. The idea that we do not have enough time in those months to think about this, engage with the community, is ludicrous.
The idea that this should go to a committee is a noble one. I understand it. It is often debated in this place whether or not things should go to a committee. What I would say is this: this is the chamber where every member can engage on this topic. If we send it away to the health committee there will be a few members that will get to consider it, but if we engage with it in this chamber every member will be able to express their opinion. They will be able to consult; they will be able to talk about it. That is why I think this chamber should be at the forefront of dealing with this topic.
Mr Hanson said that he needed more details before we could proceed. If he had bothered to read my private member’s bill he would know, answering some of his questions, that no, there is not a central seed supply because that would immediately run afoul of federal drug-trafficking laws. Mr Hanson, no, there are no strains of cannabis identified in the private member’s bill, for the very simple reason that that is how our current laws are written. I hope that all members in this place see through the Liberals’ transparent stalling tactic and that all members see good sense and come to support the private member’s bill.
MR RATTENBURY (Kurrajong) (11.50): The Greens will not be supporting this referral to a committee. We do see it as a delaying tactic on the part of Mr Hanson. I think that for too long people have been criminalised for personal possession of cannabis, marijuana, and I do not think that it is appropriate that that continues to be the case. The Greens will be supporting this legislation. As I publicly commented, we do intend to go through the detail of it.
As Mr Pettersson has rightly just noted, we will not be debating this until February. This is plenty of time to sit down and have a look at the detail of the bill. We intend to do that. If we have any comments we will talk to Mr Pettersson over the summer break. But I think there is plenty of time for people to consider this issue over the summer recess, to form a view on it, to seek expert advice, and when we come back here next February we can debate this. And that is the position we intend to take.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video