Fatima Payman (WA, Australia's Voice) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The growing crisis of illegal tobacco and vaping products is engulfing Western Australia. Just last month, WA police warned of a brewing tobacco war after shootings and firebombings took place in Perth. They have said it very clearly: the fines are too small, the profits are too big and criminal syndicates are thriving. Meanwhile, a report from the University of Notre Dame shows that, while more than 100 vape shops have been shut down, convenience stores across Perth are still openly selling vapes under the counter, often a few hundred metres from our schools.

That's why today I moved a motion to refer this very important issue to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee. We need answers about how much money is being funnelled into organised crime, the effectiveness of federal enforcement and whether stronger penalties are required. But, instead of supporting transparency and accountability, the government and the new Greens teamed up to block this inquiry. I ask: why would a party that once prided itself on social justice and standing against corporate greed now side with the government to shut down scrutiny? This is not the Greens we have come to know. Are you really putting politics over people and putting our communities at risk?

We know that illegal tobacco kills people, but it also fuels criminal networks, robs our budget of funding for health and education, and threatens the safety of small businesses. An inquiry would have mapped the scale of the problem and proposed real solutions. WA deserves answers and I'll keep pressing for them. This fight is not just about the harmful effects of tobacco; it's about whether we let organised crime call the shots in our state.