Parliament of Victoria | Legislative Council | Questions Without Notice
25 August, 2026
David ETTERSHANK (Western Metropolitan Region):
My question is to Mr Mulholland, who last sitting week was kind enough to offer me advice on furthering the cause of cannabis reform. Mr Mulholland, in May you moved motion 1435, noting that Victoria’s net debt will reach record levels by 2030, that Victorians pay the highest taxes of any state in the country and that our taxpayers will spend more on interest repayments than on operating Victoria Police, Ambulance Victoria and all kindergarten services combined.
If elected, a Wilson government would inherit this debt. Given, then, the grim fiscal environment a Wilson government would find itself in and that it would be foolish, if not irresponsible, not to do all that it can to increase revenue, will a Wilson government legalise cannabis, or will it, like the incumbent government, recklessly reject the $1 billion in revenue projected by the Parliamentary Budget Office?
The PRESIDENT:
I am sorry, Mr Ettershank, I cannot put that question. In terms of the kind of question that can be put, if a non-government member has a notice of motion, they can be asked about when they intend to bring on that particular debate. So if you want to rephrase it about when he wants to bring on that debate, you can, Mr Ettershank, if you would like to.
David ETTERSHANK (Western Metropolitan Region):
Thank you, President. In the context of the question that I have put so far, could I ask Mr Mulholland: when will the Wilson government move to legalise cannabis such that it can pick up the $1 billion in revenue?
The PRESIDENT:
Sorry, Mr Ettershank, it needs to be isolated to when the member intends to do it, and then I think the member in response would have to keep his answer to when he intends to bring on the debate and not respond to the preamble. So I will call Mr Mulholland, if he chooses to respond.
Evan MULHOLLAND (Northern Metropolitan Region):
I am very happy to speak to the timing of my excellent motion on government debt. Given that we now have an additional sitting week, perhaps that might be an opportunity on 23 September, in grand final week, to move that particular motion, because it is an important motion that goes to the $200 billion in debt that this government has racked up.
The PRESIDENT:
I think that is enough.
Evan MULHOLLAND (Northern Metropolitan Region):
We are spending more, as the motion states, on the interest on the debt –
The PRESIDENT:
Mr Mulholland, I think you have acquitted the answer within the standing orders.
[Members interjecting]
The PRESIDENT:
When I am gone you are all going to blame me when this happens in the future – that I actually put the question. I do not know if you can add a supplementary to that, Mr Ettershank, but have a crack.
David ETTERSHANK (Western Metropolitan Region):
Thank you, President; I would love to have a crack. I thank Mr Mulholland for that response, and I suspect that it will be warmly welcomed by the newly formed Stoners for Mulholland group in the northern suburbs. In that same motion, Mr Mulholland, you further noted that there were currently 506 fewer full-time Victoria Police officers – and 1500 vacancies on Victoria Police rosters – than when the Honourable Jacinta Allan MP became Premier and that crime was at an all-time high in Victoria, with a criminal offence occurring every 50 seconds. In your own words Victoria Police are vastly under-resourced.
So I ask Mr Mulholland: when would you envisage that a Wilson government would consider removing criminal penalties for cannabis to free up scarce police resources?
The PRESIDENT:
I will rule that out and we will move on.
Evan MULHOLLAND (Northern Metropolitan Region):
I move, by leave: That the motion be debated forthwith.
[Leave refused]
