Sturge: 'If we're bussing their tail, it's because we care.'

Akash Sama­roo

De­fence Min­is­ter Wayne Sturge says the Gov­ern­ment’s con­tro­ver­sial leg­is­la­tion re­strict­ing young peo­ple’s ac­cess to al­co­hol, to­bac­co, cannabis and gam­bling is an act of “tough love,” com­par­ing it to a par­ent phys­i­cal­ly dis­ci­plin­ing a child for his or her own good.

Dur­ing de­bate on the Mis­cel­la­neous Pro­vi­sions (Al­co­hol, Cannabis, Dan­ger­ous Drugs, Gam­bling and To­bac­co) Bill, 2026, Sturge ar­gued that chil­dren may re­sent be­ing phys­i­cal­ly scold­ed at the time but lat­er recog­nise that their par­ents were try­ing to pro­tect them.