Parliamentary Debates (HANSARD) FORTIETH PARLIAMENT FIRST SESSION 2020 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL Thursday, 10 September 2020 Legislative Council Thursday, 10 September 2020 THE PRESIDENT (Hon Kate Doust) took the chair at 10.00 am, read prayers and acknowledged country. COVID-19 RESPONSE AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY OMNIBUS BILL 2020 Assembly’s Message Message from the Assembly received and read notifying that it had agreed to the amendments made by the Council. OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR GENERAL — MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT SURVEY Statement by President THE PRESIDENT (Hon Kate Doust) [10.02 am]: Yesterday I received a letter from the Chair of the Standing Committee on Estimates and Financial Operations regarding the Office of the Auditor General’s survey of members of Parliament. It says — I advise that the Auditor General recently contacted the Standing Committee on Estimates and Financial Operations regarding the annual survey of Members of Parliament feedback on the Office of the Auditor General’s services and reports. The Committee has a formal working relationship with the Office of the Auditor General pursuant to the Auditor General Act 2006 and takes an active interest in the work of the Office. I advise that the survey is currently underway and closes on 23 September 2020. Given the short timeframe, the Committee encourages all Members of Parliament to participate in the survey as soon as possible. Yours sincerely Hon Alanna Clohesy MLC Chair PARLIAMENTARY SITTING DATES 2020 Statement by Leader of the House HON SUE ELLERY (South Metropolitan — Leader of the House) [10.03 am]: Following the decision of the house yesterday to facilitate the tabling of the 2020–21 budget papers in the Legislative Council on 8 October 2020, I table a revised parliamentary sitting calendar for 2020. [See paper 4187.] WORLD SUICIDE PREVENTION DAY AND R U OK? DAY Statement by Parliamentary Secretary HON ALANNA CLOHESY (East Metropolitan — Parliamentary Secretary) [10.03 am]: Today is an important day, when World Suicide Prevention Day and R U OK? Day are both recognised. It has been an extraordinary year and one that has impacted many people in this state in unprecedented ways, so today of all days I think it is pertinent that we take a moment to check in on each other. The year of 2020 especially highlights the importance of making connections and building relationships with others in our neighbourhoods, workplaces and community. World Suicide Prevention Day and R U OK? Day is a national reminder to check up on loved ones who might be struggling and have meaningful conversations that can make all the difference. The issue is very personal. It can be complex and enormously difficult to recover from. The McGowan government recognises that there is no easy fix; however, we are committed to providing support when it is needed and when we can. Sadly, each year, we lose close to 400 Western Australians by suicide. Sadly, this means that on average around one person each day loses their life to suicide in Western Australia. Each death is a tragic event that has heartbreaking consequences for families and communities. Suicide affects the whole community, and a whole-of-community approach is required to prevent it. The McGowan government is committed to supporting Western Australian communities to reduce deaths by suicide. This is evident through our investment in suicide prevention. This year, we have announced more than $45 million in suicide prevention initiatives. This $45 million includes the continuation of essential services to support people and communities affected by a suicide death and an expansion to services that provide long-term support to children who have been bereaved by a suicide death. It also includes nearly $10 million to develop and implement a region-by-region approach to Aboriginal suicide prevention in Western Australia. This is the first time such an initiative has been undertaken. The regional plans will prioritise Aboriginal-led and locally endorsed initiatives that accommodate a culturally informed social and emotional wellbeing approach to suicide prevention. Aboriginal people are disproportionately affected by suicide, with Western Australia having 5638 [COUNCIL — Thursday, 10 September 2020] the highest age-standardised rate of suicide among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia. The McGowan government recognises Aboriginal people and their culture as one of the state’s great assets. We will continue to work closely with communities throughout Western Australia to prevent and reduce the impact of suicide deaths in this state. PAPERS TABLED Papers were tabled and ordered to lie upon the table of the house. STANDING COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATION Forty-fourth Report — “Children and Community Services Amendment Bill 2019” — Tabling HON DR SALLY TALBOT (South West) [10.08 am]: I am directed to present the forty-fourth report of the Standing Committee on Legislation entitled “Children and Community Services Amendment Bill 2019”. [See paper 4188.] Hon Dr SALLY TALBOT: The report I have just tabled advises the house of the committee’s findings and recommendations regarding the Children and Community Services Amendment Bill 2019. The bill implements some recommendations from the 2017 “Statutory Review of the Children and Community Services Act 2004”, progresses some recommendations of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and provides stronger powers for enforcing compliance with the act. The policy of the bill includes to work more closely with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and community-controlled organisations to better implement the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child placement principle, and build stronger connections for children in care. The committee is of the view that the bill effects positive changes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families; however, the committee respects stakeholder views that the bill falls short of fully implementing the placement principle. The bill also aims to contribute to protecting children from harm by requiring ministers of religion to report child sexual abuse. Although this will likely contribute to child safety, the committee notes that it fails to fully implement the royal commission’s recommendation that, at a minimum, five groups of individuals become mandatory reporters. The report also canvasses opposition the committee heard to the clause providing that ministers of religion will not be exempt from mandatory reporting on the basis that information was disclosed during religious confession. The committee has made findings and recommendations to improve the operation of the act. I commend the report to the house. DISALLOWANCE MOTIONS Notice of Motion 1. Transport Regulations Amendment (Fees and Charges) Regulations (No. 2) 2020. 2. Energy Operators (Electricity Generation and Retail Corporation) (Charges) Amendment By-laws 2020. Notices of motion given by Hon Robin Chapple. HOMELESSNESS Notice of Motion Hon Alison Xamon gave notice that at the next sitting of the house she would move — That this house — (a) expresses its grave concern about growing rates of homelessness in Western Australia; (b) recognises that the WA Labor government’s initiatives and announcements to date are wholly insufficient to address this crisis; and (c) condemns the WA Labor government for failing to take a whole-of-government approach to homelessness, acknowledging particularly the failed intersections between homelessness responses and WA police, transport, justice, mental health, and alcohol and other drug services. AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY Motion HON DR STEVE THOMAS (South West) [10.11 am] — without notice: It is my pleasure to move — That this house notes the failure of the Minister for Agriculture and Food to support the agricultural industry in Western Australia, especially the traditional agricultural sector that delivers over 90 per cent of our production, and notes in particular the minister’s apparent — (a) opposition to live export; (b) opposition to genetically modified crops; (c) opposition to the use of glyphosate; [COUNCIL — Thursday, 10 September 2020] 5639 (d) failure to find a real solution to the impending farm labour shortage crisis; (e) failure to control invasive weeds and pests, noting the recent Auditor General’s report; (f) victim-blaming approach to farm invasion protection for farmers; while at the same time her (g) failure to hold anyone to account for the mass cattle deaths on Yandeyarra and Noonkanbah stations. Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! I have not even had a chance to put the question yet. Is it an indication of things to come? Hon Dr STEVE THOMAS: I start this contribution by making the very simple and obvious observation that we have the most anti-agriculture Minister for Agriculture and Food this state has ever had. We are inflicted with a minister who has no understanding of agriculture and is given to stunts, such as bringing hats into state Parliament. Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon Dr STEVE THOMAS: I could have brought in my own akubra and I could have worn my work boots. I note that I am probably the only member in the chamber who has the residue of cattle manure on their shoes—because I actually walk onto farms. The minister bringing in a hat has demonstrated my point amply and adequately in that it is a lovely hat that has not the least trace of agricultural production or dirt on it. It shows not the least trace of any understanding of what happens in agriculture in this state. She has beautifully proven my point: this minister has no understanding of agriculture. This minister is not a champion for agriculture. She is a champion for alternatives. She does perform one particular role, though, and that is to keep the only apparently working farmer in Parliament from taking over the role and being a greater disaster than the current minister already is. So, for that one particular role, I thank the minister! Even though we think it is bad, there is usually always one step downwards.