Assembly Wednesday, 23 December 1998
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WESTERN AUSTRALIA Parliamentary Debates (HANSARD) THIRTY-FIFTH PARLIAMENT SECOND SESSION 1998 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Wednesday, 23 December 1998 Legislative Assembly Wednesday, 23 December 1998 THE SPEAKER (Mr Strickland) took the Chair at 10.00 am, and read prayers. BILLS - ASSENT Messages from the Governor received and read notifying assent to the following Bills - 1. Road Traffic Amendment Bill. 2. Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority Bill. 3. Pearling Amendment Bill. BILLS - RETURNED 1. Pearling Amendment Bill. 2. Mutual Recognition (Western Australia) Amendment Bill. 3. Revenue Laws Amendment (Assessment) Bill (No 2). Bills returned from the Council without amendment. CANNING RIVER REGIONAL PARK Petition Dr Gallop (Leader of the Opposition) presented the following petition bearing the signatures of 192 persons - To the Honourable the Speaker and members of the Legislative Assembly of the Parliament of Western Australia in Parliament assembled. We the undersigned petitioners call on the State Government to purchase that portion of the Castledare estate zoned "Parks and Recreation" in the City of Canning Town Planning Scheme No. 40 to allow for its full and proper incorporation into the Canning River Regional Park as recommended by a series of reports to Government. Your petitioners therefore humbly pray that you will give this matter earnest consideration and your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray. [See petition No 122.] CAMPING LAWS, AMENDMENTS Petitions Ms Warnock presented the following petition bearing the signatures of 22 persons - To the Honourable the Speaker and members of the Legislative Assembly of the Parliament of Western Australia in Parliament assembled. We the undersigned, call upon the State Government to amend certain laws which are seen as unfair, restrictive and discriminatory towards us, the Australian public. We therefore ask that the following legislation be amended. 1. The Caravan Park 50 km protection zone be returned to its former 16 kms. 2. The 3 night Camping Law be amended to 28 nights on rate payers own property allowing for holiday visits by family or friends without having to seek special written permission from authorities. 3. That country road Park/Rest Area limits of 4 hours be increased to 12 hours allowing long distance tourists, travellers and truck drivers to vacate roads during the hours of darkness if they so chose. 4. That en - route country Rest Stops of up to 12 hours be not defined as camping. Please acknowledge receipt of petition letter. Your petitioners therefore humbly pray that you will give this matter earnest consideration and your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray. 5618 [ASSEMBLY] Similar petitions were presented by Mr Masters (four signatures), Ms McHale (two signatures), Mr Day (one signature) and Mr Brown (two signatures). [See petitions Nos 123 to 127.] WOMEN'S PRISON, PYRTON Petition Mr Brown presented the following petition bearing the signatures of 2 093 persons - To the Honourable the Speaker and members of the Legislative Assembly of the Parliament of Western Australia in Parliament assembled. We, the undersigned petitioners, register our strong opposition to the development of a women's prison or pre release centre on the Pyrton site, Lord Street, Eden Hill. We believe this valuable site should be reserved for the whole community. Specifically, we believe this site should be used for community purposes and in a way which recognises the cultural, environmental sensitivity and beauty of the area. Your petitioners therefore humbly pray that you will give this matter earnest consideration and your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray. [See petition No 128.] PRISON, BASSENDEAN, LOCKRIDGE AND EDEN HILL Petition Mr Brown presented the following petition bearing the signatures of 942 persons - To the Honourable the Speaker and members of the Legislative Assembly of the Parliament of Western Australia in Parliament assembled. We, the undersigned petitioners of Western Australia call on the State Government to recognise that we reject the government's proposal to place a prison in the area of Bassendean, Lockridge, Eden Hill or nearby urban areas. Our collective community answer to the prison proposal is 'No Prison'. Your petitioners therefore humbly pray that you will give this matter earnest consideration and your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray. [See petition No 129.] SWAN RIVER FORESHORE REDEVELOPMENT Petition Dr Gallop (Leader of the Opposition) presented the following petition bearing the signatures of 255 persons - To the Honourable the Speaker and members of the Legislative Assembly of the Parliament of Western Australia in Parliament assembled. We, the undersigned citizens call upon the State Government to reassess its priorities and redirect the $80 million it has committed to the redevelopment of the Swan River Foreshore to more worthwhile community infrastructure projects in the areas of health, education and public transport. Your petitioners therefore humbly pray that you will give this matter earnest consideration and your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray. [See petition No 130.] CORPORAL PUNISHMENT Petition Mr Johnson presented the following petition bearing the signatures of 16 persons - To the Honourable the Speaker and members of the Legislative Assembly of the Parliament of Western Australia in Parliament assembled. [Wednesday, 23 December 1998] 5619 We, the undersigned call on the members of the State Parliament to immediately pass legislation allowing for the use of the birch against offenders who assault the elderly and the most vulnerable in our community and to those who peddle drugs to our children. Your petitioners therefore humbly pray that you will give this matter earnest consideration and your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray. [See petition No 131.] CAKE STALLS Petition Mr Nicholls presented the following petition bearing the signatures of 684 persons - To the Honourable the Speaker and members of the Legislative Assembly of the Parliament of Western Australia in Parliament assembled. We, the undersigned call on the State Government to take all steps possible to prevent any moves by the Commonwealth Government that would prevent or restrict the Australian tradition of community groups holding cake stalls to raise funds. If cake stalls were stopped many of our community organisations would face financial hardship. Raising funds for charitable purposes through cake stalls has been an established practice for at least the last fifty years and therefore we strongly object to any changes that would stop this practice in the future. Your petitioners therefore humbly pray that you will give this matter earnest consideration and your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray. [See petition No 132.] INCREASED POLICE PRESENCE, ROCKINGHAM Petitions Mr McGowan presented the following petition bearing the signatures of 1 100 persons - To the Honourable the Speaker and members of the Legislative Assembly of the Parliament of Western Australia in Parliament assembled. We the undersigned, being residents of the City of Rockingham request more police be allocated to the Rockingham area, furthermore that this be attended to as a matter of urgency. Your petitioners therefore humbly pray that you will give this matter earnest consideration and your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray. To the Honourable the Speaker and members of the Legislative Assembly of the Parliament of Western Australia in Parliament assembled. A further similar petition was presented by Mr McGowan (360 signatures.) [See petitions Nos 133 and 136.] BUS SERVICE, LANGFORD Petition Ms McHale presented the following petition bearing the signatures of 41 persons - To the Honourable the Speaker and members of the Legislative Assembly of the Parliament of Western Australia in Parliament assembled. We, the undersigned wish to express our utmost concern at the cancellation of bus service 228 which currently travels along Langford Avenue, Langford. The cancellation of this service will leave Langford residents without a night time and weekend service. We call upon the Government to take heed of the community's needs and concerns and to urgently examine the possibility of reinstating a bus service along Langford Avenue after hours and on weekends. Your petitioners therefore humbly pray that you will give this matter earnest consideration and your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray. [See petition No 134.] 5620 [ASSEMBLY] COMMUNITY POLICING OFFICE, ROCKINGHAM Petition Mr McGowan presented the following petition bearing the signatures of 25 persons - To the Honourable the Speaker and members of the Legislative Assembly of the Parliament of Western Australia in Parliament assembled. We the undersigned, ask that the Government move the Community Policing Office out of Lotteries House and back into the Rockingham City Shopping Centre. This would mean an increase in the accessibility of community policing and added security presence in the Rockingham City Shopping Centre. Your petitioners therefore humbly pray that you will give this matter earnest consideration and your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray. [See petition No 135.] BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE Suspension of Standing Orders MR BARNETT (Cottesloe - Leader of the House) [10.22 am]: I move - That for Wednesday, 23 December 1998, so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as is necessary - (a) to enable government business to take precedence at all times; and (b) for the House to suspend its proceedings from approximately 1.00 to 2.00 pm. The purpose of this motion is to allow for today's sitting to deal with messages returned from the Legislative Council. The effect of this motion is that private member's business will not apply, although I am sure members will move a matter of public importance during the day. Question time will still apply. Question put and passed with an absolute majority. PARLIAMENTARY SITTING DATES, 1999 Statement by Leader of the House MR BARNETT (Cottesloe - Leader of the House) [10.24 am]: Cabinet recently approved the parliamentary sitting dates for the 1999 calendar year.