QEC Current Register of Political Parties
Do YOUR Homework (know who and what you are voting for). The next Queensland State Election is 26 October, 2024. Where do the other political parties stand on cannabis or other illegal substances? Well, here’s a quick rundown in the run-up to the 2024 Queensland State Election. Being proactive is preferable to being reactive, so now’s the time to ensure your State representative/s know cannabis re-legalisation IS an important issue, at a state level.
(as @ 8 September, 2024)
Animal Justice Party (Qld) – Supports decriminalising use and for regulations to enable lawful, safe supply.
Family First Queensland - Drugs policy states, “Never give up on the fight to keep Australia free of illicit drugs”.
Queensland Greens – State has same policies as federal, “The state greens and federal greens are united on legalising recreational use for adults”.
Queensland Katter’s Australian Party (KAP) - Federal: November, 2021 – “Tougher Drug Laws”. Bob Katter not pro-legalisation; joked in parliament, “I didn’t know marijuana was legal in Canberra and I can now understand why the country has gone to pot”.
Queensland Labor – State Platform 2021 (NOT adopted by government) – ‘Legalise possession of small quantities of cannabis for personal use only’. Pg 73
Liberal National Party (of Queensland) – May, 2022 – “Does not support any measure that could imply that illicit drugs are safe or may increase their availability or consumption … Does not support the legalisation, decriminalisation and/or use of any quantity of illicit drugs … a high-risk activity and has the potential to cause significant health, social and economic harms. While many Australians may view cannabis as harmless, 20% of Australia’s drug and alcohol treatment services are being provided to people who say cannabis is their principal drug of concern”.
November, 2021 – Conservative view on cannabis; should remain illicit/illegal drug.
Federal: 2019 – Anti-cannabis.
Libertarian Party (of Queensland) - "The Libertarian Party support the legalisation of use, cultivation, processing, possession, transport and sale of cannabis, with protection of minors and penalties for driving while impaired".
Pauline Hanson’s One Nation (Queensland Division) – February, 2024 – One Nation Chief of Staff James Ashby says legalising cannabis for recreational use is a “bad recipe” for Australia. “I’ve always advocated for the use of medicinal cannabis when it comes to people who’ve got chronic illness, where they’re failing in life in the sense that they’re going to die of cancer or something like that” he said. “It’s been proven to work very well. But opening this full slather and allowing people to just have a smoke whenever they choose – I’ve seen the consequences of this with schoolmates that I went to school with”.
May, 2022 – Recognised “whole-plant medicinal cannabis continues to act as a natural proven alternative for chronic pain relief and other serious health symptoms”. Previously voiced objection to legalising cannabis and rejected the term recreational. “Sport is recreational, smoking marijuana is not”.
Federal: Anti-Cannabis in 2019, except for pHARMa. Party stated, “Upholds the right of Australians to access medical cannabis, that may give them quality of life and life itself”. However, it has a history of blocking motions like the 2017 bid to fast-track medicinal cannabis for the terminally ill.