OPINION: Are Labour going to repeal racist cannabis laws or not?

Photo: Getty Images.

Martyn 'Bomber' Bradbury: There is a mad scramble after the cowardice of Labour's decision to allow 51% of the electorate to criminalise the other 49% to seek decriminalisation of cannabis as a way to eliminate this racist drug law.

It is outrageous that the first step of the second term of a majority Labour Government was to allow the racist cannabis laws to remain despite almost 49% of the country calling for a legalised market!

Labour claimed they were simply enforcing the will of the referendum, but seeing as the referendum wasn't binding, Labour are hiding behind majoritarianism to let them off the hook for a lack of leadership.

As many parts of the world shift to a regulated and taxed cannabis market, New Zealand risks becoming seriously out of step so decriminalization is now being hurriedly discussed in Parliament.

Even National feel compelled into this position.

You can't seriously enforce a law that 49% of your population say should be legalised.

The good news of decriminalization is that it will stop the criminalization of Māori, the bad news is that decriminalization actually creates the worst of all worlds.

You don't get the taxation for Government revenue to fund the drug rehabilitation programmes while enriching organised crime who face a lesser risk of caught users giving Police actionable evidence.

So the gangs get richer, the Government gets nothing and Māori will still be open to bias from Police writing out fines for being caught with cannabis.

So Police become revenue gatherers for a market the Government should be taxing directly instead of via the cops.

It is infinitely embarrassing that despite a majority, Labour are still paralysed on this issue.

Martyn Bradbury

Editor – TheDailyBlog.nz

twitter.com/CitizenBomber

Radio Waatea and its board would like to advise that the opinions posted are those of Martyn 'Bomber Bradbury' and not the views of Radio Waatea, its Management or its Board.

Follow us on &

Copyright © 2021, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com

RELATED NEWS

OPINION: After Waikeria Prison Riot – What Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis must be doing now Why National’s beneficiary bashing is really dog whistle politics White supremacy and terrorism