Page 4120 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 22 October 2019
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Attorney, why are you supporting laws that leave the public and police in an “untenable situation”?
MR RAMSAY: We do not believe that the laws have placed people in an untenable situation at all. We have supported and enacted legislation through this Assembly to make a particular provision, a particular defence, in relation to the personal use of cannabis and the personal possession of cannabis. Because of that, we are upholding the values of Canberrans so that this matter is seen as a health matter rather than a legal matter. In doing so we have made a very clear statement that we are not condoning or encouraging the personal use of cannabis. What we are saying is that the stigma that sits at times within the criminal justice system is not the appropriate place for people who have small amounts of cannabis. That is a health matter, and that is why we supported this legislation.
MISS C BURCH: Attorney, why are you passing laws that may lead to inconsistent outcomes based on the attitudes and approaches of individuals?
MR RAMSAY: I do not accept that we are.
MR HANSON: Attorney, can you rule out any Canberran being convicted for the possession of small amounts of cannabis, and potentially jailed?
MR RAMSAY: As Mr Hanson searches yet again for the little sound bite that he would like to get, I will refer to previous statements that I have made in this chamber.
Mr Hanson interjecting—
MADAM SPEAKER: Mr Hanson, that is enough, thank you.
Mental health—cannabis
MRS DUNNE: My question is to the Minister for Mental Health. Minister, since the passage of the personal cannabis legislation the President of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, Associate Professor John Allan, has called for the repeal of the laws, saying:
The links between early, heavy use of cannabis and the risk of developing psychotic illness later in life are well established.
At the same time an article reported that “the Canberra Hospital doesn’t have enough psychiatric beds to meet current demand”. This was under the headline “Mental Health System in Crisis”. As Minister for Mental Health, why did you vote for the legalisation of a drug which has clear links to psychosis when your mental health system is under stress?
MR RATTENBURY: The real premise of Mrs Dunne’s question is that no-one smokes cannabis at the moment and suddenly all these people are going to start smoking cannabis under this changed law. That is the premise. That is the premise that the Canberra Liberals are pushing.
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