Medicinal Cannabis and Road Safety

Hansard ID: HANSARD-1323879322-167522

Hansard session: Fifty-Eighth Parliament, First Session (58-1)

Medicinal Cannabis and Road Safety

Mr MARK COURE (Oatley) (12:39:43):

My question is directed to the Minister for Roads.

Ms Liesl Tesch:

What a shock!

Mr MARK COURE:

I am shocked too. The Joint Standing Committee on Road Safety has played a central role in road safety reform over the past 40 years but has not undertaken an inquiry into Labor's three‑strikes drug driving laws. Will the Minister commit to referring the bill to the Joint Standing Committee on Road Safety for a full and thorough inquiry before it is voted on by the Parliament?

Mr Richie Williamson:

It's a good question.

Mr Mark Coure:

A good question.

Ms JENNY AITCHISON (MaitlandMinister for Roads, and Minister for Regional Transport) (12:40):

— I do not think members agree it is a good question—particularly when you have to say so yourself. I will be really clear. We have offered briefings to those opposite on this issue. I have to say that crossbenchers have taken it up and the member for Port Macquarie has taken it up, but no-one on the Opposition front bench has. They came running out the day after we made an announcement and gave commentary on a piece of legislation—which was not even our legislation—saying, "No, no, no." They then started talking about a Canadian connection that they may or may not be pursuing. Now they want us—

Mr Mark Coure:

Point of order—

The SPEAKER:

I will hear the point of order from the member for Oatley.

Mr Mark Coure:

It is 30 seconds into the answer.

The SPEAKER:

I do not need the introductory comment.

Mr Mark Coure:

My point of order is taken under Standing Order 129, relevance. Will the Minister commit to referring the bill to the joint standing committee?

The SPEAKER:

I understand the point of order. The Minister has not been given enough time to comply with the standing order—and I would not expect her to be able to do so. The point of order is unreasonable.

Ms JENNY AITCHISON:

Those opposite then go out today and have a little press conference to say, "This is what we want to do," and then they hit me up in the Chamber to guarantee it. That is not how it works. They have railed against taking this legislation seriously. The Leader of the Opposition said that online providers are issuing scripts too easily. She described it as "handing out scripts like confetti", which is disparaging not only to patients who rely on this medication to ensure they can get through the day—

Mr Mark Coure:

Point of order—

Ms JENNY AITCHISON:

I have answered your question. Can we stop the clock, Mr Speaker?

The SPEAKER:

The Clerk will stop the clock. The member for Oatley rises on a point of order.

Mr Mark Coure:

We are now 1½ minute into the Minister's response. Will she commit to referring the bill to the joint standing committee?

The SPEAKER:

The member for Oatley will resume his seat. I will not entertain another point of order taken under Standing Order 129. The Minister has answered the question directly. It may not be in the way the member wants, but she has been directly relevant. The Minister has the call.

Ms JENNY AITCHISON:

There is little evidence to support the claim that doctors are routinely issuing medicinal cannabis prescriptions to recreational users on false or fake medical grounds. If any of those opposite had read the hundreds of letters sent to me by people who are in severe pain, who have real issues that are not being fixed by other medications and who have gone to their doctor in desperation so they can live their lives without pain and stress, they would show some compassion. But what do members opposite do? After sitting on their hands for over a decade, they want to kick it to a Staysafe inquiry that might report after the next election. They can then have another couple of years to debate it, while people in this State struggle with serious medical conditions that they cannot get treated.

The SPEAKER:

I call the member for Coffs Harbour to order for the first time.

Ms JENNY AITCHISON:

This was a recommendation of the Drug Summit. We have had an expert working group on it for two years. Those opposite want to kick the can down the road. It is a disgrace.

Mr Mark Coure:

I seek further information.

The SPEAKER:

No. An extension is denied.