Last issue I outlined some of the politics behind the Health Select Committee Inquiry into Cannabis. I didn't expect anything other than politics to determine the Government's response to it.

It took from the beginning of August, when the Committee tabled the report, until the end of October when the Government responded, to say nothing very much. We can only speculate about what manoeuvres had to be pulled to end up there.

On the one hand there is the enormous hostility to cannabis law reform from Labour's coalition partner (Jim Anderton's Progressive Party), and from their support party (United Future). On the other hand PM Helen Clark, Health Minister Annette King, and other senior Ministers such as Ruth Dyson, Steve Maharey and Pete Hodgeson all favour law reform.

So the response allowed them to avoid rocking the boat with Anderton and Dunne, while quietly allowing progress to continue on reform. None of the committee's recommendations were rejected, but Jim Anderton fronted on behalf of the Government and downplayed any enthusiasm for them.

Still, the recommendation that the Justice and Electoral Committee pick up the job of identifying the best legislative option has not been ignored. We are negotiating right now on how to do it. The J&E committee has a massive workload, including the petition on Peter Ellis, new sentencing legislation, new laws covering evidence in court etc. The main question is how to manage the timetable.

On a different topic, the Clean Slate bill is finally making progress. While my bill will not proceed, the Government's version has taken many of the features and been reported back from select committee and is through the second reading debate.

It must now go through the Committee of the House stage, where amendments will get put to it, and the Third reading debate, before going to the Governor General and becoming law.

Thanks to all those people who wrote to the Select Committee or to the Minister to have your say. Your letters helped push the Government to go further that they would have.

Have a great summer, JaH guidance to one and all.

Norml News

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