1 year ago

Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern,
Minister of Finance, Grant Robertson
Minister of Police, Chris Hipkins,
Minister of Justice, Kiri Allan,
Minister of Health, Andrew Little,

All Members of Cabinet,

OIA and Request for Law Change for the Legalisation of Cannabis.

Law Change - Give Please More Time for Real Crime – Legalise Cannabis

I refer to the TV1 documentary ‘Wasted’ (Guyon Espiner: Wasted | Full documentary | RNZ - YouTube) is more evidence based than the Parliamentary procrastination on legalising cannabis. Legalising cannabis would allow Police to focus on real crime which is currently getting out of control as poverty, the cost-of-living crisis, the housing crisis, the mental health crisis and some people with addictions thrown into the mix with adverse reactions e.g., from methamphetamine and alcohol which continue to cause deaths and injuries. All these issues continue to increase devastation to our communities. Clearly the current Government policy and laws are not working. We have gone beyond the point of no return.

Why hasn’t the Parliamentary report concerning the Cannabis Control Referendum happened?
https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/sc/bu...

An inquiry into the 2020 General Election and Referendums
Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party - New Zealand Parliament (www.parliament.nz)

https://www.parliament.nz/resource/en...

This raises serious questions about our democracy and the way the Cannabis Control Referendum was conducted before taking in to account the Prime Minister advising she was supporting the End of Life Referendum before voting had commenced and only revealed her support on the Cannabis Control Referendum after the last General Election. One can only ask – is it a conscience issue with regard to the legalisation of cannabis when the National Party is in opposition and no issue when they are in Government?

Under the Official Information Act:

1. Did each member of Cabinet and Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, Minister of Finance, Grant Robertson, Minister of Police, Chris Hipkins, Minister of Justice, Kiri Allan, Minister of Health, Andrew Little, see the TV1 documentary 'Wasted' or have any feedback from the Officials about it?
2. What information is available on the status of legalising cannabis and what plans are there to legalise it for each respective department Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, Minister of Finance, Grant Robertson, Minister of Police, Chris Hipkins, Minister of Justice, Kiri Allan, Minister of Health, Andrew Little.
3. What evidence do you have to support the current legislation that has not legalised cannabis with respect to recreational users to say that the law is working?

4. What evidence do you have to suggest the law would work better with the legalisation of cannabis?

5. When is the inquiry into the cannabis referendum going to be made available?

6. What legal advice was sought and given by Crown Law with respect to the legal challenge on the way the Cannabis Control Referendum was conducted and challenged although the legal challenge did not succeed?

7. What additional revenue would be generated with the legalisation of cannabis and what models/documentation do you have on this issue?
8. What studies and correspondence between 1st January 2018 and present do you have on the legalisation of cannabis and/or ways of reducing the power of gang's involvement in drugs?
9. How much more time and resources would the Police have once cannabis is legalised for recreational users?

Please can you take immediate steps to legalise cannabis to reduce the cost of living for those who need it medically and allow the police more time to address real crime.

Authorised by Peter Wakeman
Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party
27 Tuawera Terrace, Clifton Hill, 8081
Phone: 027 738 3792

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