2016-05-14
Hon Lynn MacLaren MLC
The first sitting week in February got off to an energetic start as my Protect Peaceful Protest forum triggered a 1000-strong rally outside Parliament House against proposed new anti-protest laws. The concept of the 'thing embedded in the Barnett Governments Criminal Amendment (Preventing Lawful Activity) Bill was abhorred by protestors and picked up by media across the country as symbolic of the Bills vagueness. While we succeeded in delaying the bills passage for a year in the Upper House, it now waits to be debated in the Lower House. Should it pass there, we will campaign for it be repealed immediately because it is roundly condemned by many including UN legal experts who advised it threatens our democratic and human rights.
I continued to press the Government for answers about the processes which led to the felling of the 500-year-old King Jarrah within the Roe 8 reserve in January. I established through Parliamentary questions that the ancient tree was felled by an unqualified arborist who stood to benefit financially from its destruction. The month was rounded up with the news that WA organic farmer Steve Marsh would be left to pay an $800,000 court bill, reigniting The Greens fight for the rights of organic and conventional (non-GM) farmers. Four weeks on and the Government pushed forward with its attempt to repeal the GM Crop Free Areas Act. I will oppose this bill to protect the interests of the environment and the majority of WA farmers, who still choose to remain GM-free.
Ive been in Rockingham again for the Hands Off Point Peron annual meeting to update residents on my determined efforts against the proposed canal estate and marina at Mangles Bay. Im still working alongside stakeholders to establish new ways of challenging this inevitably environmentally disastrous proposal. There was more good news in the fight against the Perth Freight Link/Roe 8 extension as traditional owners launched a fresh legal challenge in the Supreme Court of WA. Our months of parliamentary questions added fuel to their campaign.
In response to a new report which suggested a plebiscite on same sex marriage could cost the taxpayer up to $500 million, I renewed our push for equal marriage rights in WA. A few weeks later, Greens around the country got behind the Safe Schools Coalition when the right within the Federal Parliament cast doubt upon its much-needed resources. In response, I joined a group of amazing LGBTI young people and their supporters at a Save Safe Schools rally in the Perth CBD. I encouraged the Federal Government to keep Safe Schools in place to ensure in-school bullying did not scar another generation. Work in this area is ongoing and I will continue to liaise with students, parents and other parties.
Key names in Perths environmental conservation and academia circles joined me late last month for a round-table discussion about the Biodiversity and Conservation Bill 2015. I was exceptionally pleased with the result and look forward to continued work in this area. I have also been working to support a community submission for the Governments Green Growth Plan, which could ultimately eradicate the Carnabys Cockatoo. I was lucky enough to see dozens of these beautiful birds close-up when I took part in the Great Cocky Count at Manning Lake in Hamilton Hill. For those involved in the count, this serves as a reality check for exactly what we stand to lose.
Most recently, we had reason to celebrate as the Premier admitted that the concept which spurred The Greens Safe Passing Distances Bill – the one metre rule – may be the best solution to better safety on the roads for cyclists, two years after I introduced my Bill to Parliament. Better late than never! In the same week, WAs major research on the movement of white sharks off the coast revealed what we knew all along: killing individual sharks was an idiotic response to improve ocean safety. We have long argued that the funds wasted on killing sharks should be reallocated to shark science and shark eco-tourism.
Photo: Lynn meets with National Tertiary Education Union WA Division Council secretary Gabe Gooding ahead of a rally in protesting of the cutting of 300 jobs at the University of Western Australia. Marty Braithwaite