2020-07-01
Reforming the fines enforcement system, addressing racial and LGBTIQ injustice, opposing live exports, confronting the drug problem and tackling social issues exacerbated by the pandemic
By Hon. Alison Xamon, MLC, Member for North Metropolitan Region
It has been another excessively busy period, as the Parliament deals with the tail end of the Government’s coronavirus legislative responses and works through legislation delayed during the pandemic. Importantly, the Fines Enforcement Bill, which had already been delayed even before the crisis hit, was finally passed. This gave me a great amount of personal joy, as reform has been desperately needed as well as campaigned on for decades. I was particularly concerned about some of the most vulnerable in our community, as they faced the very real prospect of being sent to prison for fine default during the crisis while all other states have been attempting to decarcerate as prisoners are at very high risk from the virus. Reforming the fines enforcement system was an issue that certainly resonated with Western Australians, and I received a large amount of correspondence on the issue imploring me to vote for the bill. It has been an issue that disproportionately affects First Nations people and I am very pleased that the new legislation will make prison time for fine default an absolute last resort, in line with other states. It will also create a new work development permit scheme, which will work with fine defaulters to address the underlying causes of poverty and offending. This is just the beginning of a suite of reforms that are needed, however, to reduce the horrific rate of incarceration of First Nations people in Western Australia, and in line with the recommendations from the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody a long 29 years ago.
I have been glad that racism and justice systems have garnered attention on an international scale of late. I, of course, attended the Black Lives Matter rally in Perth in June appropriately masked and socially distanced, and spoke in Parliament to the issues which directly affect Aboriginal people here. We must channel our anger and despair at the treatment of our First Nations people into demanding change, because Black Lives Matter ‒ and Aboriginal lives matter. As well as lives, Aboriginal heritage matters too, and I joined my colleagues in speaking out over the destruction of Aboriginal heritage sites in the Pilbara and elsewhere.
I highlighted the poor response of the police force to addressing the issue of hate crimes, particularly as they pertain to the LGBTIQ community. It is disturbing that despite disproportionately experiencing assaults that LGBTIQ people are simultaneously less likely to seek help from the police. This is particularly the case for young trans people. In response the police force has completely abandoned the work which had commenced a few years ago leaving us severely lagging behind other states in this area.
Elsewhere, I was dismayed with the Government’s response to the report delivered following the 13-month inquiry, of which I was Chair, into reducing illicit drug use and its harm to the community. The Government chose to stick to the status quo and effectively ignore the report’s recommendations which had called for an overhaul of our current approach to drugs, with a focus on harm reduction. It even refused to accept the report’s calls for an expansion of the Drug Court, as a means to divert people away from prison, and to even investigate the possibility of pill testing and alert warnings to improve safety for young people attending music festivals. This was despite a thorough inquiry from the committee, which looked in depth at successful strategies in other Australian jurisdictions and overseas and heard extensively from experts. This has been an opportunity missed from this Government so once again the Greens will be the only party taking an evidence based approach to the issue of illicit drug use.
I have continued to question the Government on a number of issues remaining in its response to dealing with COVID-19. Mental health and the adequate funding of services, a problem area at any time, is particularly highlighted as requiring attention. I continue to hold concerns about rough sleepers, and what the Government is doing to assist this extremely vulnerable group; I have quizzed the Government about its plans for boarders from regional areas returning to residential and agricultural colleges in Perth; and sought clarification on what the Government is doing for students and temporary visa holders. I have also stood up to the Government about its failure to adequately fund the family and domestic violence sector, despite a dramatic increase of FDV incidents during the pandemic and lockdown, continued to raise the issue of elder abuse; and been appointed to the Select Committee examining the provision of palliative care in Western Australia, among many other things.
In my animal welfare portfolio I was very concerned about the Federal Government’s granting of an exemption for the Al Kuwait to depart Fremantle with 35,000 sheep on board ‒ a reduction in the original consignment, but still, it was the wrong decision to allow the vessel to sail into the Middle Eastern summer, in contravention of the summer export ban, which resulted from the tragedy aboard the Al Awassi in 2017. I spoke in Parliament twice on the issue ‒ and have also continued to follow up a number of concerns within animal welfare.
Of course, we are also gearing towards the 2021 State Election, and I look forward to working with members as campaigning ramps up towards the end of 2020 and into the New Year.
Header photo: Greens Members of the Legislative Council supporting SES volunteers