Parliamentary Debates (HANSARD) FORTIETH PARLIAMENT FIRST SESSION 2020 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Wednesday, 23 September 2020 Legislative Assembly Wednesday, 23 September 2020 THE SPEAKER (Mr P.B. Watson) took the chair at 12 noon, acknowledged country and read prayers. NOISE ABATEMENT WALL — CLAUGHTON RESERVE Petition MR D.J. KELLY (Bassendean — Minister for Water) [12.01 pm]: I present a petition signed by 336 petitioners. It has been certified by the clerks and is in the following terms — To the Honourable the Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Parliament of Western Australia in Parliament assembled. We, the undersigned say a proposed lack of noise abatement wall along the Tonkin Highway adjacent to Claughton Reserve and across the Redcliffe Bridge will see noise levels at the reserve and nearby homes rise to unacceptable levels, which will severely impact the local amenity. Now we ask the Legislative Assembly to call on the Minister for Transport and Planning to immediately address our concerns by consulting with local residents to include noise abatement walls adjacent to Claughton Reserve and across the Redcliffe Bridge. [See petition 191.] The SPEAKER: Minister for Tourism, social distancing, please. Thank you. PAPERS TABLED Papers were tabled and ordered to lie upon the table of the house. ABORIGINAL POLICE SERVICE MEDALS — CARNARVON, SOUTH HEDLAND AND NEWMAN Statement by Minister for Police MRS M.H. ROBERTS (Midland — Minister for Police) [12.04 pm]: On 21 and 22 July this year, it was my pleasure, along with Deputy Commissioner Dreibergs, to present Aboriginal Police Service Medals at ceremonies in Carnarvon, South Hedland and Newman. These medals acknowledged the service, commitment and sacrifice of Aboriginal employees within the Western Australia Police Force, either in a sworn or unsworn capacity, and are part of our WA Police Force’s commitment to reconciliation. On 12 July 2018, Commissioner of Police, Chris Dawson, delivered a historic apology to the Aboriginal people of this state. In making that apology, the commissioner committed the police to taking positive steps to heal any division between Aboriginal members of our community and police officers. The inaugural medals were presented in May last year at Government House. The medal recognises the commitment and sacrifice of Aboriginal employees—officers and public servants—in their services to the WA Police Force. Its award symbolises an overdue but sincere thank you for services, and aims to demonstrate to Aboriginal police officers and staff, and to the wider police force and community, the degree to which the service of these officers is valued and respected. It is also designed to encourage Aboriginal people to seek employment within the police force, particularly through the police cadet program. I take this opportunity to recognise the following medal recipients from those ceremonies: Rodney Bellotti, George Dann, Theonie Jacobs, Tammy Smith, Tracy Pickett, Mervyn Lockyer, Paul Mamid, Clive Ryder, Josephine McNally and Rod Wilkinson. A medal was also presented to Al Kickett in recognition of the service of his late father. These experienced officers have served as police aides, senior police aides, Aboriginal police liaison officers, police auxiliary officers, community liaison officers and police officers. They have worked throughout our vast state, particularly in our remote and regional towns of Broome, Bunbury, Carnarvon, Derby, Geraldton, Halls Creek, Karratha, Laverton, Mandurah, Marble Bar, Meekatharra, Narrogin, Newman, Port Hedland, South Hedland and York, and in the metropolitan area. I am sure all members will join me in thanking these officers for their invaluable service. ABORIGINAL POLICE SERVICE MEDALS — KUNUNURRA AND BROOME Statement by Minister for Police MRS M.H. ROBERTS (Midland — Minister for Police) [12.07 pm]: Last week in the Kimberley, I was able to visit a number of police stations and community services to see the outstanding work of our regional officers, the improvements being made to their workplaces and the strong partnerships formed with local community organisations. In addition to this, it was also my privilege, along with Deputy Commissioner Gary Dreibergs, 6350 [ASSEMBLY — Wednesday, 23 September 2020] to present a number of Aboriginal Police Service Medals in ceremonies at Kununurra and Broome on 17 and 20 September. As I noted in this place, these medals are a significant marker of the Western Australia Police Force’s path to reconciliation with Aboriginal Western Australians. They show both members of Aboriginal communities and the wider Western Australian community the value placed on the role of past and current WA Police Force Aboriginal employees and the importance of their contribution to policing. Police records indicate that over 660 Aboriginal people have worked with police as Aboriginal police liaison officers since the 1970s. Of these, an estimated 460 officers were employed for at least three years. Currently, there are Aboriginal police officers and staff working in a range of frontline, investigative, community engagement and leadership roles. In Kununurra, medals were presented to John Birch, Arnold Birch, Frederick Martin, Rex McIntosh and Percival Hunter. A medal was also presented to Kathleen Carter, in recognition of her late father’s service. In Broome, with the member for Kimberley, medals were presented to Irenaeus “Eric” Cox, Michael Corpus, Damien Manado, Gordon Marshall, Lindsay Greatorex, Allan Tang Wei, Gregory Tait, Warren Greatorex, John Albert and Luka Gray. Senator Pat Dodson also received a medal for his nephew Ronald Dodson, who could not be present. Hasimah Hajinoor received a medal for her son Ryan Sgro; Harley Howard for his late father; Mark and Tania Bin Bakar for their son Lindsay Bin Bakar; and Shereen Bin Hitam for her partner, Howard Lockyer. I also recognise and thank the families and friends who supported all our award recipients throughout their careers, some of whom joined us, and others were there in spirit. These ceremonies would not have been possible without the tireless work and impressive organisational skills of Acting Inspector Les Plane. These presentations cumulatively represent decades of service. These police employees, sworn and unsworn, have served our community with distinction, protecting the lives of those under their care. Without doubt, they have imparted more knowledge than the training they received and have left an indelible mark on their colleagues and communities. ANNUAL REPORTS — TABLING DELAY Statement by Treasurer MR B.S. WYATT (Victoria Park — Treasurer) [12.10 pm]: I rise briefly to inform the house about the late tabling of some 2019–20 annual reports. A number of agencies will not be in a position to table their annual reports on time consistent with the current requirements of the Financial Management Act 2006. Section 64 of the FMA requires ministers to table an agency’s annual report, and the Auditor General’s opinion, if applicable, within 90 days after the end of a financial year. When a minister is unable to do so, they are required to inform Parliament under section 65 of the FMA on or before the expiry of the 90 days—that is, 28 September this year. The minister is required to inform Parliament of their inability to table the annual report, the reasons for that inability, and the anticipated date of tabling the annual report. Following precedent set in 2017, these accountability requirements can be administratively achieved by way of tabling individual ministerial notification through one minister—me as Treasurer in the Legislative Assembly, and the minister representing me in the Legislative Council, on behalf of other ministers. Ministers have notified me in writing of the agencies within their portfolios that are unable to table annual reports by 28 September. They have also included information about their reasons for that inability, and the anticipated date on which they will table their department’s annual report. Therefore, in accordance with section 65 of the FMA, I now table the notifications provided by affected ministers. [See papers 3725–3733.] BANNED DRINKERS REGISTER TRIAL — PILBARA Statement by Minister for Racing and Gaming MR P. PAPALIA (Warnbro — Minister for Racing and Gaming) [12.11 pm]: I rise to update the house about a very significant initiative the McGowan government is implementing for the people of the Pilbara, the banned drinker register trial. Late last month, I travelled to the Pilbara with the member for Pilbara to announce that a local Western Australian company, Scantek, has been selected by the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries as the provider for the BDR trial software and technology. This is a $1.9 million contract that has been awarded to a WA-based company, which will create jobs for Western Australian people. The trial will begin on 1 December 2020 across the entire Pilbara region and will run for a two-year period. The BDR trial demonstrates the McGowan government’s commitment to working with all stakeholders in the community and the industry to come up with new solutions to tackling alcohol-related harm. As opposed to current community-based measures to limit people’s access to liquor, the BDR is a new measure that aims to identify problem drinkers, remove their access to alcohol, and provide them with support services. The BDR technology will assess a person’s identification to determine whether they are on the register, with a visual indicator used to alert staff if they are a banned drinker. Personal information relating to people on the BDR will remain confidential and no records will be kept by licensees about the purchaser and what they purchase, or if they are refused. [ASSEMBLY — Wednesday, 23 September 2020] 6351 The Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries will have people on the ground in the Pilbara up until the trial start date to liaise with licensees, non-government organisations, service providers, police and the community. This engagement will ensure that all stakeholders are extensively consulted with so they understand what the trial means for them.