Time to give Nimbin a fair go

[Jess Stone]

Time to give Nimbin a fair go

by S.Sorrensen

Nimbin is a little town that tends to get up the authorities’ noses.

Always has, since a bunch of long-haired, peace-loving, rebellious, alternative types invaded the village by Kombi in 1973.

Authorities didn’t like Nimbin then.

Somehow Nimbin has always given us a glimpse of our future. The village is a microcosm, previewing the impending issues of broader society. Issues like the environment and drugs.

Every year thousands of people flock to Nimbin’s MardiGrass. It’s a cannabis law reform rally, a festival... a party. Call it what you will.

There’s the Kombi Konvoy which splutters its way from Byron to Nimbin. Some of them even make it. There’s international backpackers lugging heavy bags of fertiliser around an obstacle course as part of the Hemp Olympix. (Organisers have reduced the weight of the bag this year because of OH&S. How responsible is that?)

And there’s gorgeous, dancing ganja faeries leading Sunday’s grand parade – accompanied, of course, by the obligatory drumming.

MardiGrass is people, music, talks, markets... it’s fun.

Oh, and some people smoke pot.

Before last year’s MardiGrass, Thomas George, our representative in state parliament, described Nimbin as another Cronulla riot waiting to happen. What a ridiculous thing to say.

Ridiculous, because stoned people can hardly get up, let alone riot. And if they do get up, it’s to buy another tofu burger.

Consequently, last year’s MardiGrass saw dozens of mounted police with guns and sniffer dogs roaming the street, making Nimbin look like a scene from Bagdhad Today.

It was insulting to locals and intimidating to visitors. Roadblocks, searches…

And here’s the rub – it was completely unnecessary.

Last year’s police presence cost millions. And what for?

Over its 15-year history, there has never been much trouble at MardiGrass.

Except in 1996 when cars parked over a series of driveways in Cecil Street. And in 2002 there was a fight outside the pub between a Brisbane bikie and a ganja faerie. He suffered a ripped jacket and a bloody nose before running off.

Lets’s face it, there’s more trouble outside a Lismore pub at closing time.

Since 2000, Nimbin’s younger citizens (the children of the original flower-power settlers) have run a doof party on the Saturday night of the MardiGrass. They hold it outside of the village. Lismore City Council has facilitated this event knowing that it takes a lot of pressure off the village late at night. You see, it’s been decided there can be no amplified music in Nimbin after midnight.

So each year there was an all-night doof in the bush so people could party and be safe. The volunteer organisers put a lot of effort into these events – shuttle bus, catering, medical assistance. They looked after people in a way that police can’t. People having difficulties on drugs don’t go to the police.

The MardiGrass doof raised money for the local hospital, skate park, fire service, ambulance, preschool and community radio.

But this year the authorities have decided there’ll be no doof.

So now, come midnight on Saturday, there’ll be lots of visitors in little Nimbin. They’ll be in party mode, but the entertainment will have to shut down, armed police will patrol the street, and there’ll be no doof. Is this the situation we want?

Nimbin (and MardiGrass) is not everyone’s cup of green tea. But then again, it’s not compulsory. Let’s give it a fair go.

 

Article Lismore Echo

[Jess Stone]

Cannabis capital celebrates Mardi Grass

 

 

AUSTRALIA'S cannabis capital Nimbin, in northern NSW, is celebrating its 34th Mardi Grass festival this weekend under the banner 007-Licenced to Mull.

 

Police arrested 15 people there yesterday, on day one of the three-day festival that attracts 10,000 tourists each year to the small but lush Northern Rivers town west of Byron Bay.

 

Ten charges related to possessing prohibited drugs, warrants and unlicensed driving were laid yesterday, as well, six cannabis cautions were issued.

 

The largest seizures of marijuana were 400g of cannabis and 159 cannabis cookies.

 

In NSW, the cultivation, selling and possession of cannabis is illegal.

 

In Nimbin, however, all three activities continue unabated under a high tolerance for cannabis, with the open buying, selling and consumption of the locally grown weed.

 

"We're here to support the Nimbin community hold this annual event by making it safe for everyone," local area commander Superintendent Bruce Lyons said ahead of today's bong throwing competition.

 

The main aim of Mardi Grass is to campaign for the legalisation of cannabis, as well as being an important community event.

 

article the Australian

 

34th Mardi Grass EH? more proof journalists are paid BLUDGERS, couldn't even tap Mardi Grass into a search engine ? LAZY PRICKS ,though the article itself is NON-political at least.

[SukonmiSkunk]

great artical that jess

[SmellyArab]

You've got to remember they need trouble down there. Imagine what it would look like if that many people in one tiny town smoking marijuana and there was no trouble or need for a police presence (the likely case)?

 

That many people in one place drinking WOULD require a large number of police and the last thing the government wants to suggest is that smoking causes less problems than alcohol. It Would make their policy on the two drugs look fairly stupid, that even the most ignorant member of society might cotton on to the facts. Their solution: the bullshit over policing, arresting, fining and fucking round of good innocent people, the details that you posted.