Annual General Meeting 2021
All members are invited to attend the Help End Marijuana Prohibition (HEMP) Party annual general meeting at midday on Saturday 11 September 2021 at the Town Hall, 45 Cullen Street, Nimbin.
The meeting is earlier this year due to the proposal to change the name of the Party, and the positive response to our email survey for the “change the name” option!
With the election looming, we would like to have all the steps in place in time to have the new Party name on the ballot paper.
Along with the new name comes a new determination to see an end to prohibition. We will be striving to get candidates elected to the Senate and will also be fielding candidates in some of the lower house seats for the first time.
To achieve this, we need funding and volunteers to help with campaigning, fundraising and to occupy the early voting centres and outside polling booths on election day.
We need to rely on our grassroots supporters to pitch in and donate whatever time and money they can afford to help raise the funds needed to pay the AEC nomination fees for our candidates.
With the growing awareness of Cannabis as medicine, the backlash from many patients about the discriminatory nature of the Medical Cannabis policy plus the ridiculous roadside drug testing for merely the presence of THC, we believe we can attract more than 4% of the primary vote – especially when you include the votes of those who partake for recreational therapy.
Strong support
Over 70% of our members support the name change in both surveys we have done,” said Michael Balderstone, HEMP Party President.
“We want to be clear on what we are about and call it as it is with no chance of confusion. Hemp farming is legal now again in Australia and Marijuana is a word created by the prohibitionists in America back in the 1930’s to trick the hemp farmers who didn’t realise that banning marijuana had also criminalised hemp.”
“Thousands of farmers crops were made illegal overnight when the law was introduced. Vested interests criminalised Cannabis back then, just as they maintain its illegality now.”
”Another reason for the change is to unite the Cannabis community across our wide brown land where we are trying to register Legalise Cannabis Parties in every Australian state.”
“We’ve all been inspired by the election of two Legalise Cannabis WA Party members of parliament in Western Australia, the registration of Legalise Cannabis Qld Party and the good results they achieved.”
So let’s focus on and unite our law reform movement. Anyone registered to vote can help by joining their state party at legalisecannabis.org.au
Many are excited about this new phase and we hope you will be too. The time is ripe for change to happen with support for legalising Cannabis sitting at around 41%. We hope we can count on your support to help get a voice into the federal arena.
AGM agenda summary
- Federal Election campaign strategy
- State Legalise Cannabis Parties participation
- Fundraising efforts
- Candidate preselection
HEMP Party Constitution amendments.
The current version is available online. hemp.org.au/about/constitution
An open ordinary ballot to vote on retaining or changing the Party name to; Legalise Cannabis Australia.
Constitution Section 3 to be amended. Legalise Cannabis NSW Party has replaced the name; HEMP NSW and they are in progress for state registration. Legalise Cannabis NSW Incorporated requires two paper forms for membership. 3.8 can now be removed if the Party name is retained or changed.
3.8 Membership of the Party (HEMP NSW) shall be deemed to include membership of the HELP END MARIJUANA PROHIBITION (HEMP) PARTY ( abbrev. HEMP ) registered under the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918.
Constitution Section 5 to be amended. There’s no such thing as a suitable newspaper for informing all members. Replace the phrase ‘in a suitable newspaper‘ with ‘via email and on social media.‘
5.1.1 The secretary shall give 28 days notice of the AGM in a suitable newspaper.
Insert a new Section 6. A copy of section 6 of the Legalise Cannabis Qld Party Constitution and renumber the current sections 6, 7 and 8.
6. General Meetings
- 6.1 General meetings are to be held at a minimum quarterly, but may be held more frequently at the discretion of the Executive Committee, as necessary to meet the aims of the Party.
- 6.2 General meetings may be held in person, via electronic platform, or any combination as decided by the Committee from time to time.
- 6.3 The Treasurer’s report on the financial status of the Party shall form part of the agenda.
- 6.4 The minutes of a general meeting will be made available to the Membership in electronic format (e.g. via email) no later than 30 days after the date of the general meeting upon request by a member.
- 6.5 General business arising between general meetings may be dealt with via in-person, telephone, written or electronic communications between all Committee Members, as decided by the Committee from time to time.
Nominations
- Executive Committee nominations must be received by the secretary at least one week before the meeting.
- A short bio and CV will help determine the suitability of nominees for an elected position on the executive committee. hemp.org.au/contact
- The committee is re-elected each year and includes; Secretary, Treasurer, President, Vice President, Registered Officer and Deputy Registered Officer.
- Voting for office bearers will be by open ordinary ballot by those present at the meeting only.
We may be forced to postpone the AGM if there is an enforced lock-down on the day. It is very difficult for most members to attend meetings in Nimbin during normal circumstances. It will be good to see you, if you can make it.
Yours sincerely,
James Kingsbury
HEMP Party Secretary
PS. Currently on the Party name email survey: KEEP 89 : 245 CHANGE
The suitable newspaper public notice in the Echo.
The HEMP Party’s Facebook event.
