2019-02-20
The ACT Greens have today urged the Canberra Liberals to reaffirm their support for the Territory’s democratic processes when it comes to progressive drug law reform.
Overnight Shadow Attorney-General Jeremy Hanson said the cannabis law would face “constitutional issues”.
“We need to get real about drugs. Too often the Canberra Liberals have chosen to stand in the way of real progress by calling up their mates on the Hill for help to undermine actions taken by the ACT Government, especially in the areas of significant drug law reform in a progressive jurisdiction,” Greens spokesperson for Drug Law Reform Shane Rattenbury said today.
“We understand that cannabis possession and use could still be a crime in the Commonwealth even if it were legalised in the ACT. However, as a separate jurisdiction, it is well within our Assembly’s remit to seek to legislate on issues that matter to our Canberra community.
“The war on drugs has failed, and it’s time for a new approach,” Mr Rattenbury added.
“What we don’t need is a Federal Liberal Government encouraged by its local counterparts to interfere in ACT legislative processes.”
It comes as this week the ACT Government expressed its support for Australia’s second pill testing trial at Groovin the Moo.
“We all know that the Canberra Liberals have form in this area.”
In a letter dated 28 September 2017, former Canberra Liberals leader Jeremy Hanson MLA wrote to his Federal Liberal counterparts Greg Hunt and Fiona Nash. Mr Hanson suggested the highly successful pill testing trial was ‘questionable on legal grounds’ and appealed to Federal Minister Hunt to oppose pill testing and stop the trial from going ahead.
The Greens support the intent of the Drugs of Dependence (Personal Cannabis Use) Amendment Bill and will be proposing a number of amendments to make it more workable in practice.