Single Policy Marijuana Party for Queensland?

[Wayne Smith]

Hi guys,

I've been thinking for a long time about the possibility of creating a new party with the single policy of legalising marijuana. No doubt many others have had this idea and other parties standing on the same platform already exist at a federal level. I'm not the most savvy person when it comes to the quagmire of modern electioneering and politicking in general but I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. Atleast half of Australians have smoked pot at some point and this would be a splendid way of educating people about the benefits of industrial hemp. Personally I'd like to see indepth research into the potential for hempseed oil as a biomass fuel for power plants. We all know its one of the fastest growing plants in nature. Also there is the carbon dioxide extraction power of such a vibrant plant to consider. Plus ofcourse the freedom of people to pursue happiness in their own fashion without government interference.

 

This board could act as a springboard for such a new party. Even taking into account the inevitable dead profiles accompanying any large forum we still have many thousands of members here. Would anybody here be interested in standing for a seat? I'd suggest that all members swear an oath to support legalisation and once that is achieved each participant could go their own way as an independant.

 

What do you think? I admit I'm not up to date on the current state of marijuana politics and my suggestion might be one of many already posted.

[Dragonfan]

In her last speech, the Hon Sandra Kanck said, in the Legislative Council in South Australia [November 2008] . . .

 

What is needed now is courage. Having been in the firing line a few times for statements that I have made about drugs, because I am advocating drug law reform, I know that it takes courage. In the hope of assisting future legislators, I draw attention to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare National Drug Strategy Household Survey. . . . two questions: one was assessing how they felt about a change in legislation permitting the use of marijuana for medical purposes. In 2004 the percentage in support was 67.5%, going up to 68.6% in 2007, and then when they were asked whether they supported a clinical trial for people to use marijuana to treat medical conditions, in 2004 it went from 73.5% of the survey respondents to 73.6%. So, there is actually extraordinary support out there in the community.

 

I don't know of figures for actual full blown legalisation, but the major problem for the community is seemingly how hog-tied we are by current outdated laws and the 'war on drugs' mentality of our current raft of politicians/law enforcers.

 

And, from the Nimbin Hemp Embassy website, the following notice . . .

HEMP PARTY

December 2008 : The AEC (Australian Electoral Commission) is currently doing another membership check in response to our appeal against the previous check, where not enough members confirmed that they were members. As a result we failed the membership test instituted under Howard for parties without sitting members.

If you are contacted by the AEC please confirm your membership promptly.

Would it not perhaps be worthwhile contacting same for advice/s to try and get something REALLY going in the Sunshine State, perhaps an arm of the Hemp Party 'revamped' for 'local conditions' or the like? [Just a thought]

[Guest niall]

I'm in Vic but I'll do whatever I can to support this.

 

Can I just recommend that the party name use the plant's proper name - cannabis? Say "Tax and Regulate Cannabis Party" or "Legalise Cannabis Party"? The core of our problem is that of public ignorance - what better way to start addressing this than by getting the public using its proper name, free from decades of racist propaganda and negative association.

[Wayne Smith]

The Hon Sandra Kanck sounds like just the sort of gutsy, informed and well spoken kind of person we need up here. So there's no pre-existing party already? I recall a guy going under the name of 'Free Marijuana' or some such running in a past election but I think he was an independant. Thanks for the interesting info Dragonfan. It shouldn't be hard to email those Hemp Party people. They've done it all already and differing state laws aside it seems a good place to start seeking advice. I planned on going to the local council offices today for some information on how to register a new party but I might not have time today.

 

Getting enough members is going to be a trial. A sensitive issue like this can be a difficult drawcard. Many potential members are going to be a bit paranoid about giving up personal details. An obvious strategy for the major parties would be to arrange for the cops to swoop on half the members just prior to election night thus rendering the party void as a result of insufficient members.

 

Those supportive of cannabis can already be largely counted as safe votes. I think we need to try and win over as many of the cannabis haters as possible. Its largely ignorance that causes people to oppose cannabis law reform. Unfortunately this section of the community is the least openminded. They've swallowed the political propaganda completely. To swing them over we need to swamp the community with bite sized chunks of data certain to capture their attention and make them want to seek out further information. Stuff like this....

 

HempCar.Org

 

It would also serve to cement the votes of existing supporters by reminding them of how immoral and evil this prohibition is.

 

That site just blew me away. I knew Henry Ford built a car out of nothing but Hemp and even fueled it on hempseed oil but I had no idea anyone had followed up on his pioneering work until I stumbled across that page. Awesome stuff. Some big name celebrities would be nice too. People love conspiracy stories and Hemp prohibition is the biggest conspiracy of all time I reckon. Jasper Carrott highlighted the negative effects of this unconstitutional drug war and how it funds organised crime such as the slave trade. Thats our biggest ace up the sleeve. The other parties who will fight us tooth and nail on this will be cranking up the propaganda machine again and we need to be able to stand on the higher morale ground.

 

Good suggestion Niall. I've been thinking along similar lines. Marijuana is a stupid name anyway. Most people can't even spell it correctly. The FBI appropriated it from a small town in mexico for crying out loud. Just so people in America wouldn't realise it was the hemp strain of cannabis they were really targeting.

 

We should call Jack Herer. He probably knows more than anybody else how best to form a political party and get our message out. He might even give us some free publicity at his website if we ever get this off the ground.

 

I was considering the name 'Legalise Narcotics Party'. LNP for short.

 

But ofcourse, we only want to push the case for cannabis legalisation.

 

To be taken seriously we will need some intelligent and well spoken members without too many skeletons in their closets. Well, not many that are likely to get discovered at any rate. Its all a big popularity contest. I've always thought that comedians would make the best politicians. Making people laugh is the best way to win them over. Not treating them like dummies is another.

 

Unfortunately CannabisParty.Com is already taken mate. Not a bad site actually.

 

Lawrence Springborg's gang keeps close tabs on my online activities and the party will have most certainly checked out this discussion. I'm not sure what they'll make of it but we might want to consider switching over to private discussions for anything we don't want made public. It would be a real bastard if we worked out an inspiring name for the new party only to see an LNP internet boffin grab up the domain names for it.

 

Edited December 17, 2008 by Wayne Smith

[Wayne Smith]

Sent off a quick memo to the hemp embassy party.

 

Hi guys,

Your mob was recommended to me as a possible source of information on how to start up and run a political party. Its just a topic over at OzStoners right now. Follow this handy link if you like. Yes. Lawrence Springborg hates my guts.

 

http://www.liberalnationalparty.com

 

Its currently in a daisy chain of other domains I own but it should only take a few seconds to download. I don't actually own any websites. Just domains which redirect to relevant places.

 

I realise the laws are different interstate but can you give us some pointers? As I said in the discussion thread we will probably look at a single policy platform. Seems the path of least resistance. We don't want to become a bunch of bickering splinter groups like the LNP.

 

 

All the best,

Wayne Smith the BindiIrwin.Com guy.

 

Cybersquatter taunting politicians | The Australian

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story...8-12377,00.html

 

That should atleast make them giggle. I'm going to surf down a few facts and talk to you guys again in a day or two. Should have the party application forms in hand by then.

[Guest]

I didn't know we had any celebrities here. Welcome Wayne you little devil you. Thanks for the topic. I thought we already had a queensland pot party but if we don't then we most definately should have. Australians are the worlds greatest tokers.

 

You are all over the net mate.

 

New party to probe 'fake' website

 

What was the probe like? Did it hurt much?

 

Borg's loud-shirt party

 

I agree with the author of that one. The Borg needs a humour transplant.

 

Crikey - Tips and rumours - No LNP online.

 

I read Crikey all the time.

 

From Crikey.

Showing all the cyber-literacy that we have come to expect from the conservative side of politics, the Queensland Nationals were a bit slow off the mark in laying claim to some turf for their new party, the Liberal Nationals, on that interweb thing the youngsters are always going on about. Serial cyber-squatter Wayne Smith struck first and registered http://www.liberalnationalparty.com, as well as other permutations such as .org. The Springborgians are stuck with the clunky and non-intuitive www.lnp.org.au. Then again, who needs the interwebs when the LNP’s main boast about Queensland is that it is “the state with unrivalled agricultural capacity”? That’ll get ‘em flocking in the south-east, Larry.

 

Nice one Wayne. I'll be looking forward to your next escapade with baited breath. Springborg and co must be a little worried with the election looming. Did you consider selling it to them? You sold BindiIrwin.Com to australia zoo right. If you do sell up make them pay through the nose. I think you will find plenty of support for the idea of a new party but actually getting people to join will be hard. Wish I could help but I'm currently in NSW. If you take this national I'll join up no worries.

[mistyville]

Count me in too...Mistyville

[Naycha]

Good on you for doing what a lot of us only think about, I hope you can go all the way with this.

 

Don't now what I could do to help, but I'm interested although I'm in NSW.

[Naycha]

I'ts pretty funny clicking the liberalnationalparty link and watching all the redirections before it gets here.

 

rossgarnaut.com

[Frazz]

yea Wayne if you want to help legalise Cannabis for recreational use then be aware that Hemp advocates only want to use you to further thier own agenda and same goes for medical marijuana advocates , neither of them have the slightest interest in pushing for recreational drug-law reformation