We shall see on two fronts here A, if they get to hold the balance of power and B, if they actually do it.
Funny how he can only make the announcement in Nimbin, maybe the Greens candidate is struggling against Balderstone
Also after a search of their website, google etc we can’t find a white paper or pdf that actually colours in these vague plans.
They only need to look at the latest east coast states to tackle the issue in the US to see how complicated and fraught with difficulties it all is.
We’d just like to see a bit more detail
See our profile of Balderstone here
Australian General Election, Legalise Cannabis Party Candidates Profiles: Michael Balderstone
The Daily Mail writes
The Australian Greens are promising to reform cannabis laws and push for a ban on new fossil fuel projects in Bass Strait if the minor party secures the balance of power at the federal election.
Cannabis laws needed reform after decades of punitive policy at the state and federal levels, the federal party said on Monday.
‘Much of the rest of the world has moved on to legalise cannabis and it’s high time Australia did the same,’ Greens NSW Senate candidate David Shoebridge said ahead of a policy launch in the NSW Northern Rivers town of Nimbin.
Regulation and taxation on legalised cannabis would make it safer for adults who use it, take money away from criminals and divert it to infrastructure like hospitals and schools, he said.
‘When the government controls the supply and quality of cannabis, it is also able to provide health support for intervention or problematic use where needed,’ Mr Shoebridge said.
Some 36 per cent of Australians over the age of 14 have used non-medicinal cannabis, according to Australian Institute of Health and Welfare data for 2019, with 11.6 per cent having consumed it in the previous twelve months.
Those people should not be considered criminals, according to the Greens.
Many people in the community use cannabis and a regulated industry could raise $4.4 billion in revenue, Greens candidate for Page, which includes Nimbin, Kashmir Miller said.
Under the Greens plan, adults would be able to grow six plants at home for personal use or buy from cannabis retail shops.
Licences to produce or sell cannabis would go through an Australian Cannabis Agency, which would also act as the single wholesaler.
Advertising would be banned and the cannabis sold in plain packaging like cigarettes.
Those selling without a licence would still be open to penalty.
This is what the Greens say on their website about cannabis regulation
The Greens have a plan to regulate, tax and legalise cannabis in Australia.
It’s time we faced the reality that a criminal framework for the use of cannabis has failed and made Australians less safe. An evidence based, health first approach is what the community needs more than ever.
Millions of Australians are using cannabis every year and while other countries around the world including Canada and the United States have accepted that a prohibition model does not work, the major parties in this countries are intent on pushing forward a policy that criminalises drug users, supports an unregulated and dangerous market and makes people fear seeking help when they need it.
The Greens policy will put an end to this by:
- Legalising cannabis and creating a regulated market that will ensure quality control
- Establishing an Australian Cannabis Agency to issue licence for production and sale and act as the single wholesaler
- Banning advertising of cannabis products
- Establishing cannabis retail shops, allowing the growth of up to six plants at home for personal use
- Imposing penalties for the unlicensed sale of cannabis
This is going to be huge, and you can get involved right at the beginning. Join our campaign and we’ll keep you updated on our progress, as we take our campaign to universities, neighbourhoods and Parliament House.
