Drug reform: makes a hell of a lot of cents
Written By:
- Date published:
6:21 am, June 7th, 2011 - 48 comments
Categories: budget 2011, crime, drugs -
Tags:
I’ve been thinking about the budget. Its economic vacuousness: borrowing and crossing fingers for strong growth, while keeping tax cuts for the rich. The bare-faced cheek of counting the asset sales in its projections and passing Kiwisaver cuts without getting a mandate. But also, the cuts to vital public services without a more imaginative and sensible solution: drug reform.
The Law Commission proved in its report earlier this year that all the money the government sinks on the ‘war on drugs’ each year is more or less wasted. And the amount poured into this blackhole is mind-boggling.
There’s the policing cost:
“In a report prepared for the New Zealand Police in 2008, economists Business and Economic Research (BERL) estimated that the cost of enforcing the law against illegal drugs amounted to a total of $303 million in 2005/06. Enforcement activity targeting illegal stimulants was estimated to account for 48 per cent of that sum and 257,140 of the 598,000 policing hours dedicated to illicit drug enforcement. Activities targeting cannabis comprised another 38 per cent, or $116.2 million of the total budget, and accounted for 333,684 policing hours.”
600,000 police hours is equivalent to nearly 300 cops employed full-time on drugs. Remember that next time they’re too busy to attend a burglary.
There’s also the cost of imprisoning people and other sentences. There are about 1,000 people imprisoned for drugs offences, at $100,000 per head. That’s $100 million a year to lock them up.Bill English calls prison a “moral and fiscal failure”, well stopping locking so many people up for drugs crimes would be a good first step in addressing it.
Then there’s another 4,000 on other sentences, at the cost of many more millions.
Add to that the cost of all the court cases, 25,000 charges a year.
Not to mention the lost tax take from sending such a large industry underground.
All up, the ALCP reckons that marijuana prohibition alone costs half a billion dollars. That may be on the high side but gives you an idea of the scale of money being wasted on trying, and failing, to stop people consuming drugs.
All of this money is spent for virtually no effect on drug consumption. The Law Commission report makes that clear, as does the fact that 400,000 New Zealanders are regular consumers of cannabis.
What the ‘war on drugs’ does do is force drug users into close association with the criminal underworld and make it harder to get medical treatment – both of which lead to more crime problems.
It’s not just direct fiscal costs that can be reduced from focusing on drugs as a health problem, not a criminal one:
“for every $1 spent on addiction treatment, there is a $4 to $7 reduction in the cost associated with drug-related crimes, and that for some non-residential programmes, total savings can exceed costs by a ratio of 12:1”
What many people don’t realise is that governments spending fortunes hopelessly trying to fight drugs is a recent invention. Until the 1940s, you could legally buy heroin in this country. Since the international ‘war on drugs’ began, it has shown no signs off success and each failure has been met with more funding, with the same results. The UN, which pushed countries into tougher and tougher drug laws at the US’s bidding last century, now admits: “global war on drugs has failed, with devastating consequences for individuals and societies around the world”
In my dream world, the Prime Minister would listen to his Law Commission report on drugs and change the law as the Commission suggests: remove the focus on prosecuting and punishing drug users and focus instead on productive areas – treating addiction as a medical problem and focusing on harm reduction.
And, on a very much related note, he would listen to the report he commissioned from his science adviser that concluded we need to start investing more in young children, rather than wasting it trying to scare young offenders straight with silly boot camps.
Unfortunately, that’s not going to happen with this Prime Minister, who launched his silly ‘War on P’ and seems determined to just keep pouring taxpayer money down the drain.
48 comments on “Drug reform: makes a hell of a lot of cents ”
- Comments are now closed
- Comments are now closed
CommentsOpinions
Recent Comments
FeedsPartyGovtMedia
- Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies, Excerpt Five.
Military politics as a distinct “partial regime.” Notwithstanding their peripheral status, national defense offers the raison d’être of the combat function, which their relative vulnerability makes apparent, so military forces in small peripheral democracies must be very conscious of events … Continue reading ...14 hours ago - Leadership for Dummies
If you’re going somewhere, do you maybe take a bit of an interest in the place? Read up a bit on the history, current events, places to see - that sort of thing? Presumably, if you’re taking a trip somewhere, it’s for a reason. But what if you’re going somewhere ...16 hours ago - Home again
19 hours ago - Dead even tie for hottest August ever
Long stories short, here’s the top six news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer:The month of August was 1.49˚C warmer than pre-industrial levels, tying with 2023 for the warmest August ever, according ...20 hours ago - The Hoon around the week to Sept 7
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts and talking about the week’s news with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on the latest climate science on rising temperatures and the debate about how to responde to climate disinformation; and special guest ...20 hours ago
- Have We an Infrastructure Deficit?
An Infrastructure New Zealand report says we are keeping up with infrastructure better than we might have thought from the grumbling. But the challenge of providing for the future remains.I was astonished to learn that the quantity of our infrastructure has been keeping up with economic growth. Your paper almost ...1 day ago - Councils reject racism
Last month, National passed a racist law requiring local councils to remove their Māori wards, or hold a referendum on them at the 2025 local body election. The final councils voted today, and the verdict is in: an overwhelming rejection. Only two councils out of 45 supported National's racist agenda ...1 day ago - Homage to Simeon Brown
2 days ago
- Government of deceit
When National cut health spending and imposed a commissioner on Te Whatu Ora, they claimed that it was necessary because the organisation was bloated and inefficient, with "14 layers of management between the CEO and the patient". But it turns out they were simply lying: Health Minister Shane Reti’s ...2 days ago
- The professionals actually think and act like our Government has no fiscal crisis at all
Treasury staff at work: The demand for a new 12-year Government bond was so strong, Treasury decided to double the amount of bonds it sold. Photo: Lynn GrievesonMōrena. Long stories short; here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Friday, September ...2 days ago - Weekly Roundup 6-September-2024
Welcome to another Friday and another roundup of stories that caught our eye this week. As always, this and every post is brought to you by the Greater Auckland crew. If you like our work and you’d like to see more of it, we invite you to join our regular ...2 days ago - Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies; Excerpt Four.
Internal versus external security. Regardless of who rules, large countries can afford to separate external and internal security functions (even if internal control functions predominate under authoritarian regimes). In fact, given the logic of power concentration and institutional centralization of … Continue reading ...2 days ago
- A Hole In The River
There's a hole in the river where her memory liesFrom the land of the living to the air and skyShe was coming to see him, but something changed her mindDrove her down to the riverThere is no returnSongwriters: Neil Finn/Eddie RaynerThe king is dead; long live the queen!Yesterday was a ...2 days ago - Bright Blue His Jacket Ain’t But I Love This Fellow: A Review and Analysis of The Rings of Power E...
My conclusion last week was that The Rings of Power season two represented a major improvement in the series. The writing’s just so much better, and honestly, its major problems are less the result of the current episodes and more creatures arising from season one plot-holes. I found episode three ...2 days ago - Who should we thank for the defeat of the Nazis
As a child in the 1950s, I thought the British had won the Second World War because that’s what all our comics said. Later on, the films and comics told me that the Americans won the war. In my late teens, I found out that the Soviet Union ...2 days ago - Skeptical Science New Research for Week #36 2024
Open access notables Diurnal Temperature Range Trends Differ Below and Above the Melting Point, Pithan & Schatt, Geophysical Research Letters: The globally averaged diurnal temperature range (DTR) has shrunk since the mid-20th century, and climate models project further shrinking. Observations indicate a slowdown or reversal of this trend in recent decades. ...2 days ago - Media Link: Discussing the NZSIS Security Threat Report.
I was interviewed by Mike Hosking at NewstalkZB and a few other media outlets about the NZSIS Security Threat Report released recently. I have long advocated for more transparency, accountability and oversight of the NZ Intelligence Community, and although the … Continue reading ...2 days ago
- How do I make this better for people who drive Ford Rangers?
Home, home again to a long warm embrace. Plenty of reasons to be glad to be back.But also, reasons for dejection.You, yes you, Simeon Brown, you odious little oik, you bible thumping petrol-pandering ratfucker weasel. You would be Reason Number One. Well, maybe first among equals with Seymour and Of-Seymour ...2 days ago - A missed opportunity
The government introduced a pretty big piece of constitutional legislation today: the Parliament Bill. But rather than the contentious constitutional change (four year terms) pushed by Labour, this merely consolidates the existing legislation covering Parliament - currently scattered across four different Acts - into one piece of legislation. While I ...2 days ago
- Nicola Willis Seeks New Sidekick To Help Fix NZ’s Economy
Synopsis:Nicola Willis is seeking a new Treasury Boss after Dr Caralee McLiesh’s tenure ends this month. She didn’t listen to McLiesh. Will she listen to the new one?And why is Atlas Network’s Taxpayers Union chiming in?Please consider subscribing or supporting my work. Thanks, Tui.About CaraleeAt the beginning of July, Newsroom ...3 days ago - Inflation alive and kicking in our land of the long white monopolies
The golden days of profit continue for the the Foodstuffs (Pak’n’Save and New World) and Woolworths supermarket duopoly. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short; here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Thursday, September 5:The Groceries Commissioner has ...3 days ago - The thermodynamics of electric vs. internal combustion cars
This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler I love thermodynamics. Thermodynamics is like your mom: it may not tell you what you can do, but it damn well tells you what you can’t do. I’ve written a few previous posts that include thermodynamics, like one on air capture of ...3 days ago
- Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies: Excerpt Three.
The notion of geopolitical “periphery.” The concept of periphery used here refers strictly to what can be called the geopolitical periphery. Being on the geopolitical periphery is an analytic virtue because it makes for more visible policy reform in response … Continue reading ...3 days ago
- Venus Hum
Fill me up with soundThe world sings with me a million smiles an hourI can see me dancing on my radioI can hear you singing in the blades of grassYellow dandelions on my way to schoolBig Beautiful Sky!Song: Venus Hum.Good morning, all you lovely people, and welcome to the 700th ...3 days ago - I Went to a Creed Concert
Note: The audio attached to this Webworm compliments today’s newsletter. I collected it as I met people attending a Creed concert. Their opinions may differ to mine. Read more ...3 days ago - Government migration policy backfires; thousands of unemployed nurses
The country has imported literally thousands of nurses over the past few months yet whether they are being employed as nurses is another matter. Just what is going on with HealthNZ and it nurses is, at best, opaque, in that it will not release anything but broad general statistics and ...3 days ago
- A Time For Unity.
Emotional Response: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon addresses mourners at the tangi of King Tuheitia on Turangawaewae Marae on Saturday, 31 August 2024.THE DEATH OF KING TUHEITIA could hardly have come at a worse time for Maoridom. The power of the Kingitanga to unify te iwi Māori was demonstrated powerfully at January’s ...3 days ago - Climate Change: Failed again
National's tax cut policies relied on stealing revenue from the ETS (previously used to fund emissions reduction) to fund tax cuts to landlords. So how's that going? Badly. Today's auction failed again, with zero units (of a possible 7.6 million) sold. Which means they have a $456 million hole in ...4 days ago
- Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies: Excerpt Two.
A question of size. Small size generally means large vulnerability. The perception of threat is broader and often more immediate for small countries. The feeling of comparative weakness, of exposure to risk, and of potential intimidation by larger powers often … Continue reading ...4 days ago
- Nicola Willis’s Very Unserious Bungling of the Kiwirail Interislander Cancellation
Open to all with kind thanks to all subscribers and supporters.Today, RNZ revealed that despite MFAT advice to Nicola Willis to be very “careful and deliberate” in her communications with the South Korean government, prior to any public announcement on cancelling Kiwirail’s i-Rex, Willis instead told South Korea 26 minutes ...4 days ago - Satisfying the Minister’s Speed Obsession
The Minister of Transport’s speed obsession has this week resulted in two new consultations for 110km/h speed limits, one in Auckland and one in Christchurch. There has also been final approval of the Kapiti Expressway to move to 110km/h following an earlier consultation. While the changes will almost certainly see ...4 days ago
- What if we freed up our streets, again?
This guest post is by Tommy de Silva, a local rangatahi and freelance writer who is passionate about making the urban fabric of Tāmaki Makaurau-Auckland more people-focused and sustainable. New Zealand’s March-April 2020 Level 4 Covid response (aka “lockdown”) was somehow both the best and worst six weeks of ...4 days ago
- No Alarms And No Surprises
A heart that's full up like a landfillA job that slowly kills youBruises that won't healYou look so tired, unhappyBring down the governmentThey don't, they don't speak for usI'll take a quiet lifeA handshake of carbon monoxideAnd no alarms and no surprisesThe fabulous English comedian Stewart Lee once wrote a ...4 days ago - Five ingenious ways people could beat the heat without cranking the AC
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Daisy Simmons Every summer brings a new spate of headlines about record-breaking heat – for good reason: 2023 was the hottest year on record, in keeping with the upward trend scientists have been clocking for decades. With climate forecasts suggesting that heat waves ...4 days ago
- No new funding for cycling & walking
Studies show each $1 of spending on walking and cycling infrastructure produces $13 to $35 of economic benefits from higher productivity, lower healthcare costs, less congestion, lower emissions and lower fossil fuel import costs. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short; here’s my top six things to note ...4 days ago - 99
Dad turned 99 today.Hell of a lot of candles, eh?He won't be alone for his birthday. He will have the warm attention of my brother, and my sister, and everyone at the rest home, the most thoughtful attentive and considerate people you could ever know. On Saturday there will be ...4 days ago - Open Government: National reneges on beneficial ownership
One of the achievements of the New Zealand’s Open Government Partnership Fourth National Action Plan was a formal commitment from the government to establish a public beneficial ownership register. Such a register would allow the ultimate owners of companies to be identified - a vital measure in preventing corruption, money ...4 days ago
- Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies: Excerpt One.
This project analyzes security politics in three peripheral democracies (Chile, New Zealand, Portugal) during the 30 years after the end of the Cold War. It argues that changes in the geopolitical landscape and geo-strategic context are interpreted differently by small … Continue reading ...5 days ago
- Tea and Toast
When the skies are looking bad my dearAnd your heart's lost all its hopeAfter dawn there will be sunshineAnd all the dust will goThe skies will clear my darlingNow it's time for you to let goOur girl will wake you up in the mornin'With some tea and toastLyrics: Lucy Spraggan.Good ...5 days ago - NLTP 2024 released – destroying pipeline of shovel ready local projects
Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Waka Kotahi yesterday released the latest National Land Transport Plan (NLTP) for 2024-27. The NLTP sets out what transport projects will be funded for the next three years, including both central and local government projects. As expected given the government’s extremely ideological transport policy, it’s ...5 days ago
- Can Brown deliver his roads
The Government’s unveiling of its road-building programme yesterday was ambitious and, many would say, long overdue. But the question will be whether it is too ambitious, whether it is affordable, and, if not, what might be dropped. The big ticket items will be the 17 so-called Roads of National Significance. ...5 days ago
- New paper about detecting climate misinformation on Twitter/X
Together with Cristian Rojas, Frank Algra-Maschio, Mark Andrejevic, Travis Coan, and Yuan-Fang Li, I just published a paper in Nature Communications Earth & Environment where we use the Computer Assisted Recognition of Denial and Skepticism (CARDS) machine learning model to detect climate misinformation in 5 million climate tweets. We find over half ...5 days ago
- Excerpting “Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies.”
In the late 2000s-early 2010s I was researching and writing a book titled “Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies: Chile, New Zealand and Portugal.” The book was a cross-regional Small-N qualitative comparison of the security strategies and postures of three small … Continue reading ...5 days ago
- Hating for the Wrong Reasons: Of Rings of Power, Orcs and Evil
A few months ago, my fellow countryman, HelloFutureMe, put out a giant YouTube video, dissecting what went wrong with the first season of Rings of Power (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJ6FRUO0ui0&t=8376s). It’s an exceptionally good video, and though it spans some two and a half hours, it is well worth your time. But ...5 days ago - Climate Change: “Least cost” to who?
On Friday the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment released their submission on National's second Emissions Reduction Plan, ripping the shit out of it as a massive gamble based on wishful thinking. One of the specific issues he focused on was National's idea of "least cost" emissions reduction, pointing out that ...5 days ago
- Israeli Lives Matter
There is no monopoly on common senseOn either side of the political fenceWe share the same biology, regardless of ideologyBelieve me when I say to youI hope the Russians love their children tooLyrics: Sting. Read more ...5 days ago - Luxon Cries
Over the weekend, I found myself rather irritably reading up about the Treaty of Waitangi. “Do I need to do this?” It’s not my jurisdiction. In any other world, would this be something I choose to do?My answer - no.The Waitangi Tribunal, headed by some of our best legal minds, ...6 days ago
- Just one Wellington home being consented for every 10 in Auckland
A decade of under-building is coming home to roost in Wellington. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short; here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Monday September 2:Wellington’s leaders are wringing their hands over an exodus of skilled ...6 days ago - Container trucks on local streets: why take the risk?
This is a guest post by Charmaine Vaughan, who came to transport advocacy via her local Residents Association and a comms role at Bike Auckland. Her enthusiasm to make local streets safer for all is shared by her son Dylan Vaughan, a budding “urban nerd” who provided much of the ...6 days ago
- 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #35
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, August 25, 2024 thru Sat, August 31, 2024. Story of the week After another crammed week of climate news including updates on climate tipping points, increasing threats from rising ...6 days ago
- An Uncanny Valley of Improvement: A Review and Analysis of The Rings of Power, Episodes 1-3 (Season ...
And thus we come to the second instalment of Amazon’s Rings of Power. The first season, in 2022, was underwhelming, even for someone like myself, who is by nature inclined to approach Tolkien adaptations with charity. The writing was poor, the plot made no sense on its own terms, and ...7 days ago - Alcohol debris and Crocodile Tears
I write to you this morning from scenes of carnage. Around the floor lie young men who only hours earlier were full of life, and cocktails, and now lie silent. Read more ...7 days ago - When Do We Look Away?
Hi,The first time I saw something that made me recoil on the internet was a visit to Rotten.com. The clue was in the name — but the internet was a new thing to me in the 90s, and no-one really knew what the hell was going on. But somehow I ...7 days ago - The decades just fly by
You turn your back for a moment and a city can completely transform itself. It was, oh, just the other day I was tripping up to Kuala Lumpur every few months to teach workshops and luxuriate in the tropical warmth and fill my face with Char Kway Teow.It has to ...7 days ago - 2024 Reading Summary: August
Completed reads for August: Aesop’s Fables (collection), by Aesop Berserk: Volume XXV (manga), by Kentaro Miura Benighted, by J.B. Priestly Berserk: Volume XXVI (manga), by Kentaro Miura Berserk: Volume XXVII (manga), by Kentaro Miura Berserk: Volume XXVIII (manga), by Kentaro Miura Berserk: Volume XXIX (manga), by Kentaro Miura ...1 week ago - Is recent global warming part of a natural cycle?
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park from the Gigafact team in collaboration with John Mason. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is recent global warming part ...1 week ago
- White Noise
Now here we standWith our hearts in our handsSqueezing out the liesAll that I hearIs a message, unclearWhat else is there to decide?All that I'm hearing from youIs White NoiseLyrics: Christopher John CheneyIs the tide turning?Have we reached the high point of the racist hate and lies from Hobson’s Pledge, ...1 week ago - The Death Of “Big Norm” – Exactly 50 Years Ago Today.
1 week ago
- Claims and Counter-Claims.
Whose Foreshore? Whose Seabed? When the Marine and Coastal Area Act was originally passed back in 2011, fears about the coastline becoming off-limits to Pakeha were routinely allayed by National Party politicians pointing out that the tests imposed were so stringent that only a modest percentage of claims (the then treaty ...1 week ago
-
1 week ago
- The Principles of the Treaty
Hardly anyone says what are ‘the principles of the treaty’. The courts’ interpretation restrain the New Zealand Government. While they about protecting a particular community, those restraints apply equally to all community in a liberal democracy – including a single person.Treaty principles were introduced into the governance of New Zealand ...1 week ago - The Only Other Reliable Vehicle.
An Elite Leader Awaiting Rotation? Hipkins’ give-National-nothing-to-aim-at strategy will only succeed if the Coalition becomes as unpopular in three years as the British Tories became in fourteen.THE SHAPE OF CHRIS HIPKINS’ THINKING on Labour’s optimum pathway to re-election is emerging steadily. At the core of his strategy is Hipkins’ view ...1 week ago
- A Big F U to this Right Wing Government
Open to all - deep thanks to those who support and subscribe.One of the things that has got me interested recently is updates about Māori wards.In April, Stuff’s Karanama Ruru reported that ~ 2/3 of our 78 councils had adopted Māori wards in NZ.That meant that under the Coalition repeal ...1 week ago - Climate Change: James Shaw’s legacy keeps paying off
One of the central planks of the previous Labour-Green government's emissions reduction policy was GIDI (Government Investment in Decarbonising Industry). This was basically using ETS revenue to pay polluters to clean up production, reducing emissions while protecting jobs. Corporate welfare, but it got the job done, and was often a ...1 week ago
- Gravity
Oh twice as much ain't twice as goodAnd can't sustain like one half couldIt's wanting moreThat's gonna send me to my kneesSong: John MayerSome ups and downs from the last week of August ‘24. The good and bad, happy and sad, funny and mad, heroes and cads. The week that ...1 week ago - Ditch the climate double speak and get real
Long stories short, here’s the top six news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer:The Government announced changes to the Fast-Track Approvals Bill on Sunday, backing off from the contentious proposal to give ...1 week ago
- The Hoon around the week to August 30
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts and talking about the week’s news with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on the latest science of changing sea temperatures and which emissions policies actually work; on the latest from Ukraine, Gaza and ...1 week ago
- This Govt’s infrastructure strategy depends on capital gains taxes & new road taxes
Billions of dollars in value uplift was identified around the Transmission Gully project, but that was captured 100% by landowners and not shared to pay for the project. Now National is saying value capture should be used for similar projects. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/ Getty ImagesMōrena. Long stories short; here’s my ...1 week ago - Weekly Roundup 30-August-2024
Kia ora and welcome to the end of another week. Here’s our regular Friday roundup of things that caught our eye, in the realm of cities and transport. If you enjoy these roundups, feel free to join our growing ranks of supporters by making a recurring donation to keep the ...1 week ago
- Table Talk: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
“That’s the sort of constitutional reform he favours: conceived in secret; revolutionary in intent; implemented incrementally without fanfare; and under no circumstances to be placed before the electorate for democratic ratification.”TO SAY IT WAS RAINING would have understated seriously the meteorological conditions. Simply put, it was pissing down. One of ...1 week ago
- Big Norm and Chris Hipkins
It’s 50 years ago today that “Big Norm” Kirk died of a heart attack in Wellington’s Home of Compassion. Home of Compassion. Although he was Prime Minister for only 623 days, he has an iconic place in New Zealand history, particularly Labour history. When Labour leaders like Jacinda Ardern recite ...1 week ago
- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #35 2024
Open access notables Arctic glacier snowline altitudes rise 150 m over the last 4 decades, Larocca et al., The Cryosphere: We mapped the snowline (SL) on a subset of 269 land-terminating glaciers above 60° N latitude in the latest available summer, clear-sky Landsat satellite image between 1984 and 2022. The mean SLA was extracted ...1 week ago
- Unravelling the String of State: New Zealand Sovereignty and the Treaty of Waitangi
Oh dear. Sometimes people just need to prod the sleeping dog. We currently have a parliamentary dispute over the nature of the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi, as signed between the British Crown and New Zealand Maori: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/526451/sovereignty-debate-split-on-party-lines Specifically, the National Government takes the traditional view that Maori ceded sovereignty ...1 week ago - Rigour, PLEASE
You may have noticed I have been taking my time getting home. You may have wondered if that might have anything to do with our brave little nation being constitutionally and morally abused by this woeful excuse for a government. It does. I have enjoyed being able to turn the ...1 week ago - Making A Difference.
The Jacinda and Ashley Show: Before the neoliberals could come up with a plausible reason for letting thousands of their fellow citizens perish, the Ardern-led government, backed by the almost forgotten power of an unapologetically interventionist state, was producing changes in the real world – changes that were, very obviously, saving ...1 week ago
- Sign the petition: Keep military-style firearms off our streets
Help us tell the Government that reintroducing military-style firearms should not be up for debate. ...10 hours ago - Release: Government on the wrong side of Māori wards
The National-led government has been given a clear message from the local government sector, as almost all councils reject the Government’s bid to treat Māori wards different to other wards. ...1 day ago
- Release: Labour congratulates Kuīni Ngā Wai hono i te po Paki
The Labour Party congratulates Kuīni Ngā Wai hono i te po Paki on being crowned as the eighth Te Ariki Nui – head of Te Kiingitanga. ...3 days ago
- Green Party welcomes new Maaori Kuiini
The Green Party welcomes the coronation of the new Maaori Kuiini, Te Arikinui Nga Wai Hono i te Po, today in Turangawaewae. ...3 days ago - ECE teachers deserve better than this Government
The Green Party is unsurprised but disappointed by today’s announcement from the Government that will see our Early Childhood Centre teachers undermined and pay parity pushed further out of reach. ...4 days ago
- Urgent intervention needed on supermarkets
The Green Party is calling on the Government to intervene in the supermarket duopoly dominating our supply of groceries following today’s report from the Commerce Commission. ...4 days ago
- Release: Rainbow youth neglected in mental health funding
Labour backs the call from The Rainbow Support Collective members for mental health funding specifically earmarked for grassroots and peer led community organisations to be set up in a way that they are able to access. ...4 days ago
- Release: Transport in NZ has to be more than just roads
As expected, the National Land Transport Programme lacks ambition for our cities and our country’s rail network and puts the majority of investment into roads. ...5 days ago
- Speech: Barbara Edmonds Building Nations 2024
Tēnā koutou katoa, Thank you for your warm welcome and for having my colleagues and I here today. Earlier you heard from the Labour Leader, Chris Hipkins, on our vision for the future of infrastructure. I want to build on his comments and provide further detail on some key elements ...5 days ago
- Govt transport plan deepens fossil fuel fix
The Green Party says the Government’s new National Land Transport Programme marks another missed opportunity to take meaningful action to fight the climate crisis. ...5 days ago
- Greens call for public to back Wrybill in BOTY and beyond
The Green Party is calling on the public to support the Ngutu Pare Wrybill not just in this year’s Bird of the Year competition but also in pushing back against policies that could lead to the destruction of its habitat and accelerate its extinction. ...6 days ago
- Building consents data bad news for construction
News that the annual number of building consents granted for new homes fell by more than 20 percent for the year ended July 2024, is bad news for the construction industry. ...1 week ago
- Te Pāti Māori Pay Tribute to Kiingi Tūheitia Pōtatau Te Wherowhero VII
Papā te whatitiri, hikohiko te uira, i kanapu ki te rangi, i whētuki i raro rā, rū ana te whenua e. Uea te pou o tōku whare kia tū tangata he kapua whakairi nāku nā runga o Taupiri. Ko taku kiri ka tōkia ki te anu mātao. E te iwi ...1 week ago
- Release: Gaps still to be addressed in callouts response
The Government must guarantee New Zealanders will not be at risk after making changes to the way mental health callouts are handled. ...1 week ago
- Poroporoaki: Kiingi Tuheitia passing
Haere e te Kīngi o te kotahitangi Haere ki o nui, ki o rahi I te pō ...1 week ago
- Green Party pays respects to Kiingi Tuuheitia
The Green Party is paying tribute to the Māori King, Kiingi Tuuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero XVII, after he passed away earlier this morning. ...1 week ago
- Potaka Brings Whakaata Māori to its Knees
Today’s Whakaata Māori announcement is yet another colossal failure from Minister Potaka, who has turned his back on te reo Māori, forcing a channel offline, putting whānau out of jobs, and cutting Māori content, says Te Pāti Māori. “A Senior Māori Minister has turned his back on Te Reo Māori. ...1 week ago
- Release: National restricts access to disability care homes
With disability communities still reeling from the diminishing of Whaikaha, a leaked document now reveals another blow with National restricting access to residential care homes. ...1 week ago
- Release: Govt must help save 230 manufacturing jobs
Labour is calling on the Government and Mercury Energy to find a solution to the proposed Winstone Pulp mill closure and save 230 manufacturing jobs. ...1 week ago
- Govt shirks its responsibility to Whakaata Māori
The Green Party has called out the Government for allowing Whakaata Māori to effectively collapse to a shell of its former self as job cuts and programming cuts were announced at the broadcaster today. ...1 week ago
- NZ First Member’s Bill To Disestablish Auckland Transport
Today New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill that will restore democratic control over transport management in Auckland City by disestablishing Auckland Transport (AT) and returning control to Auckland Council. The ‘Local Government (Auckland Council) (Disestablishment of Auckland Transport) Amendment Bill’ intends to restore democratic oversight, control, and accountability ...1 week ago - Release: PM fails in constitutional role and leadership
The failure of the Prime Minister to condemn his Minister for personally attacking the judiciary is another example of this Government riding roughshod over important constitutional rules. ...1 week ago
- Waititi urges Rotorua Lakes Council to immediately stop works at Lake Rotokākahi
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and Member of Parliament for Waiariki, which includes Rotorua, has written to Rotorua Lakes Councillors requesting they immediately stop sewerage piping works at Lake Rotokākahi in Rotorua. “Mana whenua have been urging Rotorua Lakes Council to stop works and look at alternative plans to protect the ...1 week ago
- Release: Patient care at risk from redundancies
Patient care could suffer as a result of further cuts to the health system, which could lose thousands of staff who keep our hospitals and clinics running. ...1 week ago
- Greens call on Govt to wake up on child poverty
The Green Party says the latest statistics on child poverty in this country highlight the callous approach that the Government is taking on this issue of national shame. ...1 week ago
- Release: Police are off the beat under National
Foot patrols around the country have decreased 15 percent since National took office, despite National’s Mark Mitchell claiming otherwise. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Climate denial is an insult to Pacific leaders
Winston Peters’ climate denialism at the Pacific Islands’ Forum is an embarrassing new low. ...2 weeks ago
- Govt must end solitary confinement
The Green Party is urging the Government to end the use of solitary confinement within our prisons after new research revealed some prisoners have been held in confinement for more than 900 days. ...2 weeks ago
- Fossil fuels never the answer in climate crisis
The Government’s moves to enable the import of Liquefied Natural Gas is another step away from the sustainable and affordable energy network that this country needs. ...2 weeks ago
- Government must respect Court’s Uber employee decision
Today’s court ruling upholding the rights of Uber drivers is a message to the Government that it must not tamper with employment protections. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Uber court decision recognises workers’ rights
The Court of Appeal decision that Uber drivers are entitled to employee rights such as minimum wage, sick leave, holiday pay and collective bargaining is welcome news for the drivers involved and their unions. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour calls on Govt to divest from illegal settlements
The Labour Party is calling on the Government to tell the two major wealth funds, the NZ Super Fund and ACC, to withdraw investments from companies listed by the United Nations as complicit in Israel’s illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Govt backtrack on fast-track still not enough
Labour welcomes news that the National Government is backing down on its reckless proposal to give Ministers final sign-off on significant projects, but it’s still not enough. ...2 weeks ago
- Fast track still on track to environmental destruction
Our environment remains at risk despite the Government's proposed changes to its controversial fast-track legislation. ...2 weeks ago
- Ohinemuri River pollution highlights mining risks
The harrowing images of the severely polluted Ohinemuri River caused by an old mining shaft could become a more common occurrence under the mining regime the Government is looking to roll out. ...2 weeks ago
- Govt Incarcerating our Mokopuna into a Failed System
Information released by the Minister for Children has revealed that almost 800 mokopuna Māori have been taken by the state this year, putting it on track for the largest displacement of tamariki Māori since the introduction of Section 7AA in 2019. “Oranga Tamariki is running a crusade against whakapapa Māori ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Chris Hipkins’ Speech to Local Government New Zealand
...2 weeks ago
- Release: Regional deals can’t leave ratepayers picking up the bill again
On the back of a patronising speech to local councils the Government has rushed out an announcement on regional and city deals that leaves out the crucial component – funding. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Govt in thrall to tobacco lobbyists
The National Government has put the interests of tobacco lobbyists ahead of New Zealanders and their health. ...2 weeks ago
- Govt overreach on councils an assault on local democracy
The Government’s move to enforce austerity measures on councils is an assault on local democracy. ...2 weeks ago
- Government progresses response to Abuse in Care recommendations
A Crown Response Office is being established within the Public Service Commission to drive the Government’s response to the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care. “The creation of an Office within a central Government agency was a key recommendation by the Royal Commission’s final report. “It will have the mandate ...1 day ago - Passport wait times back on-track
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says passport processing has returned to normal, and the Department of Internal Affairs [Department] is now advising customers to allow up to two weeks to receive their passport. “I am pleased that passport processing is back at target service levels and the Department ...1 day ago
- New appointments to the FMA board
Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister has today announced three new appointments and one reappointment to the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) board. Tracey Berry, Nicholas Hegan and Mariette van Ryn have been appointed for a five-year term ending in August 2029, while Chris Swasbrook, who has served as a board member ...1 day ago
- District Court judges appointed
Attorney-General Hon Judith Collins today announced the appointment of two new District Court judges. The appointees, who will take up their roles at the Manukau Court and the Auckland Court in the Accident Compensation Appeal Jurisdiction, are: Jacqui Clark Judge Clark was admitted to the bar in 1988 after graduating ...2 days ago
- Government makes it faster and easier to invest in New Zealand
Associate Minister of Finance David Seymour is encouraged by significant improvements to overseas investment decision timeframes, and the enhanced interest from investors as the Government continues to reform overseas investment. “There were about as many foreign direct investment applications in July and August as there was across the six months ...2 days ago
- New Zealand to join Operation Olympic Defender
New Zealand has accepted an invitation to join US-led multi-national space initiative Operation Olympic Defender, Defence Minister Judith Collins announced today. Operation Olympic Defender is designed to coordinate the space capabilities of member nations, enhance the resilience of space-based systems, deter hostile actions in space and reduce the spread of ...2 days ago
- Government commits to ‘stamping out’ foot and mouth disease
Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard says that a new economic impact analysis report reinforces this government’s commitment to ‘stamp out’ any New Zealand foot and mouth disease incursion. “The new analysis, produced by the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research, shows an incursion of the disease in New Zealand would have ...3 days ago
- Improving access to finance for Kiwis
5 September 2024 The Government is progressing further reforms to financial services to make it easier for Kiwis to access finance when they need it, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Financial services are foundational for economic success and are woven throughout our lives. Without access to finance our ...3 days ago
- Prime Minister pays tribute to Kiingi Tuheitia
As Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII is laid to rest today, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has paid tribute to a leader whose commitment to Kotahitanga will have a lasting impact on our country. “Kiingi Tuheitia was a humble leader who served his people with wisdom, mana and an unwavering ...3 days ago
- Resource Management reform to make forestry rules clearer
Forestry Minister Todd McClay today announced proposals to reform the resource management system that will provide greater certainty for the forestry sector and help them meet environmental obligations. “The Government has committed to restoring confidence and certainty across the sector by removing unworkable regulatory burden created by the previous ...3 days ago
- More choice and competition in building products
A major shake-up of building products which will make it easier and more affordable to build is on the way, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Today we have introduced legislation that will improve access to a wider variety of quality building products from overseas, giving Kiwis more choice and ...3 days ago
- Joint Statement between the Republic of Korea and New Zealand 4 September 2024, Seoul
On the occasion of the official visit by the Right Honourable Prime Minister Christopher Luxon of New Zealand to the Republic of Korea from 4 to 5 September 2024, a summit meeting was held between His Excellency President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea (hereinafter referred to as ...3 days ago
- Comprehensive Strategic Partnership the goal for New Zealand and Korea
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Republic of Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol. “Korea and New Zealand are likeminded democracies and natural partners in the Indo Pacific. As such, we have decided to advance discussions on elevating the bilateral relationship to a Comprehensive ...3 days ago
- International tourism continuing to bounce back
Results released today from the International Visitor Survey (IVS) confirm international tourism is continuing to bounce back, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Matt Doocey says. The IVS results show that in the June quarter, international tourism contributed $2.6 billion to New Zealand’s economy, an increase of 17 per cent on last ...4 days ago
- Government confirms RMA reforms to drive primary sector efficiency
The Government is moving to review and update national level policy directives that impact the primary sector, as part of its work to get Wellington out of farming. “The primary sector has been weighed down by unworkable and costly regulation for too long,” Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. “That is ...4 days ago
- Weak grocery competition underscores importance of cutting red tape
The first annual grocery report underscores the need for reforms to cut red tape and promote competition, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “The report paints a concerning picture of the $25 billion grocery sector and reinforces the need for stronger regulatory action, coupled with an ambitious, economy-wide ...4 days ago
- Government moves to lessen burden of reliever costs on ECE services
Associate Education Minister David Seymour says the Government has listened to the early childhood education sector’s calls to simplify paying ECE relief teachers. Today two simple changes that will reduce red tape for ECEs are being announced, in the run-up to larger changes that will come in time from the ...4 days ago
- Over 2,320 people engage with first sector regulatory review
Regulation Minister David Seymour says there has been a strong response to the Ministry for Regulation’s public consultation on the early childhood education regulatory review, affirming the need for action in reducing regulatory burden. “Over 2,320 submissions have been received from parents, teachers, centre owners, child advocacy groups, unions, research ...4 days ago
- Government backs women in horticulture
“The Government is empowering women in the horticulture industry by funding an initiative that will support networking and career progression,” Associate Minister of Agriculture, Nicola Grigg says. “Women currently make up around half of the horticulture workforce, but only 20 per cent of leadership roles which is why initiatives like this ...4 days ago
- Government to pause freshwater farm plan rollout
The Government will pause the rollout of freshwater farm plans until system improvements are finalised, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds and Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard announced today. “Improving the freshwater farm plan system to make it more cost-effective and practical for farmers is a priority for this ...5 days ago
- Milestone reached for fixing the Holidays Act 2003
Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden says yesterday Cabinet reached another milestone on fixing the Holidays Act with approval of the consultation exposure draft of the Bill ready for release next week to participants. “This Government will improve the Holidays Act with the help of businesses, workers, and ...5 days ago
- New priorities to protect future of conservation
Toitū te marae a Tāne Mahuta me Hineahuone, toitū te marae a Tangaroa me Hinemoana, toitū te taiao, toitū te tangata. The Government has introduced clear priorities to modernise Te Papa Atawhai - The Department of Conservation’s protection of our natural taonga. “Te Papa Atawhai manages nearly a third of our ...5 days ago
- Faster 110km/h speed limit to accelerate Kāpiti
A new 110km/h speed limit for the Kāpiti Expressway Road of National Significance (RoNS) has been approved to reduce travel times for Kiwis travelling in and out of Wellington, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy. ...5 days ago
- IVL increase to ensure visitors contribute more to New Zealand
The International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) will be raised to $100 to ensure visitors contribute to public services and high-quality experiences while visiting New Zealand, Minister for Tourism and Hospitality Matt Doocey and Minister of Conservation Tama Potaka say. “The Government is serious about enabling the tourism sector ...5 days ago
- Delivering priority connections for the West Coast
A record $255 million for transport investment on the West Coast through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will strengthen the region’s road and rail links to keep people connected and support the region’s economy, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The Government is committed to making sure that every ...5 days ago
- Road and rail reliability a focus for Wellington
A record $3.3 billion of transport investment in Greater Wellington through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will increase productivity and reduce travel times, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Delivering infrastructure to increase productivity and economic growth is a priority for our Government. We're focused on delivering transport projects ...5 days ago
- Record investment to boost economic and housing growth in the Waikato
A record $1.9 billion for transport investment in the Waikato through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will create a more efficient, safe, and resilient roading network that supports economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “With almost a third of the country’s freight travelling into, out ...5 days ago
- Building reliable and efficient roading for Taranaki
A record $808 million for transport investment in Taranaki through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will support economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Taranaki’s roads carry a high volume of freight from primary industries and it’s critical we maintain efficient connections across the region to ...5 days ago
- Supporting growth and resilience in Otago and Southland
A record $1.4 billion for transport investment in Otago and Southland through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will create a more resilient and efficient network that supports economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Transport is a critical enabler for economic growth and productivity in Otago ...5 days ago
- Delivering connected and resilient roading for Northland
A record $991 million for transport investment in Northland through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will strengthen the region’s connections and support economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “We are committed to making sure that every transport dollar is spent wisely on the projects and ...5 days ago
- Top of the South to benefit from reliable transport infrastructure
A record $479 million for transport investment across the top of the South Island through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will build a stronger road network that supports primary industries and grows the economy, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “We’re committed to making sure that every dollar is ...5 days ago
- Government delivering reliable roads for Manawatū-Whanganui
A record $1.6 billion for transport investment in Manawatū-Whanganui through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will strengthen the region’s importance as a strategic freight hub that boosts economic growth, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Delivering infrastructure to increase productivity and economic growth is a priority for our Government. ...5 days ago
- Restoring connections in Hawke’s Bay
A record $657 million for transport investment in the Hawke’s Bay through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will support recovery from cyclone damage and build greater resilience into the network to support economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “We are committed to making sure that ...5 days ago
- Transport resilience a priority for Gisborne
A record $255 million for transport investment in Gisborne through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will support economic growth and restore the cyclone-damaged network, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “With $255 million of investment over the next three years, we are committed to making sure that every transport ...5 days ago
- Prioritising growth and reduced travel times in Canterbury
A record $1.8 billion for transport investment Canterbury through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will boost economic growth and productivity and reduce travel times, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Christchurch is the economic powerhouse of the South Island, and transport is a critical enabler for economic growth and ...5 days ago
- Supporting growth and freight in the Bay of Plenty
A record $1.9 billion for transport investment in the Bay of Plenty through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will boost economic growth and unlock land for thousands of houses, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Transport is a critical enabler for economic growth and productivity in the Bay of ...5 days ago
- Getting transport back on track in Auckland
A record $8.4 billion for transport investment in Auckland through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will deliver the infrastructure our rapidly growing region needs to support economic growth and reduce travel times, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Aucklanders rejected the previous government’s transport policies which resulted in non-delivery, phantoms projects, ...5 days ago
- Record investment to get transport back on track
A record $32.9 billion investment in New Zealand’s transport network through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will create a more reliable and efficient transport network that boosts economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “New Zealanders rejected the previous government’s transport policies which resulted in non-delivery, ...5 days ago
- Consultation is open on gambling harm strategy
Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey has welcomed the start of Gambling Harm Awareness Week by encouraging New Zealanders to have their say on the next three-year strategy to prevent and minimise gambling harm. “While many New Zealanders enjoy gambling as a pastime without issue, the statistics are clear that ...5 days ago
- JOINT STATEMENT FOR THE OFFICIAL VISIT OF NEW ZEALAND PRIME MINISTER CHRISTOPHER LUXON
1. Prime Minister YAB Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim hosted Prime Minister Rt. Hon Christopher Luxon on an Official Visit to Malaysia from 1 to 3 September 2024. Both leaders expressed appreciation for enduring and warm bilateral ties over 67 years of diplomatic relations. The Malaysia – New Zealand Strategic Partnership 2. The ...5 days ago
- Mike Joy on his memoir and butting heads with Sir John Key
The scientist whose work prompted Sir John Key in 2011 to compare academics to lawyers says it was a "surreal" and "scary" time. ...7 hours ago - Results of school property inquiry yet to go to Cabinet
The inquiry was completed months ago, but the minister of education is still weighing up its recommendations. ...15 hours ago
- ACT pledges pushback on supermarket crackdown
Further regulation of the supermarket sector may hit a snag in the form of David Seymour, who is mounting strong opposition to any such move. ...19 hours ago
- The Weekend: Paralympics appreciation vs everyday apathy
Madeleine Chapman reflects on the week that was. The Paralympic Games end tomorrow after nearly two weeks of incredible athletic feats. On a purely results basis, New Zealand hasn’t done that well. As of writing (Friday), we’re yet to win a gold medal and are placed 61st out of 74 ...21 hours ago - ‘I wish I’d never thought of it’: The Blue Monkey on Suzanne Paul’s back
The infomercial queen looks back on an eventful life in TV, filled with Coronation Street, The Blue Monkey and a lot of reality television. Suzanne Paul is a New Zealand television icon. Born and raised in England, Paul worked around the world for 20 years before she arrived in Aotearoa ...21 hours ago
- Auckland’s secondhand bookshops, ranked and reviewed
Shanti Mathias visits and ranks the crème de la crème of Auckland’s secondhand bookshops. From Ponsonby to Grafton to Devonport to Parnell, Auckland has some lovely secondhand bookshops, many of which are huge and deserve to be browsed for hours, embracing the way that all bookstores, but especially secondhand bookstores, ...21 hours ago
- The Spinoff Essay: An ode to tea, the universal panacea
Skimmed Alive, Earl Gravy or Peanut Safari, there’s nothing like making someone a cup of tea exactly how they like it. The Spinoff Essay showcases the best essayists in Aotearoa, on topics big and small. Made possible by the generous support of our members. ‘Corrie climax sparks power surge.’ That was ...21 hours ago
- ‘A bogan-fuelled track to remind us where we came from’: Blindspott’s perfect weekend playlist
Damian Alexander and Shelton Woolright of Blindspott share their perfect weekend playlist. Few embody the “west is best” mindset as well as Blindspott. So, it’s probably a good thing the bogan rockers will be able to let their West Auckland sensibilities loose as a part of a supergroup comprised of ...21 hours ago
- Brokenwood – the international hit with a kiwi accent
It’s been a brutal year for New Zealand television, with the demise of Three’s Newshub news operation, costing 300-odd jobs; and the canning of TVNZ’s highly rated Fair Go, Sunday and Late News programmes.It’s also been announced the long-running soap Shortland Street will be cut to three nights a week, ...21 hours ago - The Secret Diary of .. Christopher Luxon
MONDAYGreat news for the nation! In a gesture that I know will resonate with ordinary Kiwis who look to the Prime Minister as an example of someone who can deliver a set of deliverables that will take root and come to pass, I have sold one of my nine or ...21 hours ago
- Short story: I’m a Māori, by Airana Ngarewa
“See that car, ow?” A lime-green Beetle puttered into the distance, barely making the speed limit. “Lady in the front winked at me. Almost crossed the centre line she was so lost in my eyes.”“Bro, that’s the lifeguard. She’s seventy.”Māui shrugged his shoulders. “My swag crosses generational lines. What can ...21 hours ago
- Podcast: Does the government have it wrong on gas?
The government is making a poor economic move with its plan to import natural gas according to Saul Griffith, renewable energy advocate and former climate advisor to Joe Biden. Saul Griffith is an author, inventor, scientist and co-founder of Rewiring America. A few years back he managed to convince ...21 hours ago
- New measurements reveal the enormous halos that shroud all galaxies in the universe
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deanne Fisher, Associate Professor of Astronomy, Swinburne University of Technology The starry part of every galaxy is surrounded by a vast shroud of gas extending out for more than 100,000 light years. Cristy Roberts / ANU / ASTRO 3D Have you ever ...1 day ago - Opera Eucalyptus is a lush adaptation of Murray Bail’s novel – with a modern twist
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Moya Costello, Adjunct Lecturer, Southern Cross University Opera Australia My first curiosities about the new opera Eucalyptus, an adaptation of Murray Bail’s multi-award-winning 1998 novel, were regarding how Ellen and the many stories told to her by her ultimately successful suitor ...1 day ago
- The Week in Politics: More roads and maybe fewer tourists
Analysis - The government's $32.9 billion transport spend-up, a big hike in the tourist levy, and the prime minister's ferry-free visit to South Korea. ...1 day ago
- Our cities are losing the small, colourful songbirds that give us the most joy
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andres Felipe Suarez-Castro, Research Fellow, Ecological Modelling, Griffith University Scarlet honeyeater (_Myzomela sanguinolenta_) Marty Oishi/Shutterstock The birds that fill our mornings with songs and our parks and gardens with colour are disappearing from our cities, our new study has found. We ...1 day ago
- New government funding for family violence is unprecedented, but it can’t afford to wait
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University A new A$4.7 billion national funding package announced today will deliver much needed resources to address family and sexual violence. For years, specialist support services, community legal services, therapeutic responses and men’s ...1 day ago
- Residency granted for Brazilian couple whose immigration adviser forgot to apply for visa
Brazilians Newton Santos and Nubia Chiarelli had been fighting to get their case reviewed since 2021. ...1 day ago
- Witness 1.8 billion years of tectonic plates dance across Earth’s surface in a new animation
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alan Collins, Professor of Geology, University of Adelaide Two tectonic plates meet in Thingvellir National Park, Iceland. VisualProduction/Shutterstock Using information from inside the rocks on Earth’s surface, we have reconstructed the plate tectonics of the planet over the last 1.8 billion years. ...1 day ago
- Far North District councillors vote unanimously to retain their Māori ward following impassioned me...
The council's strongly worded resolution also called on the CEO to explore the legal implications of not holding a binding poll as required. ...1 day ago
- The ozone hole above Antarctica will keep opening up each spring for decades to come – here’s wh...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Revell, Associate Professor in Environmental Physics, University of Canterbury NASA via Getty Images At this time of year, as the sun rises over Antarctica, a “hole” opens up in Earth’s ozone layer. The ozone layer is a vital planetary boundary ...1 day ago
- What you need to know about the draft English and maths curriculums
This is what you need to know about the draft English and maths curriculums out for consultation. ...1 day ago
- Is Russia’s changing nuclear doctrine a significant concern – or just another empty threat?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jon Richardson, Visiting Fellow, Centre for European Studies, Australian National University Russia’s announcement this week that it is revising its nuclear weapons doctrine has raised questions about what this means – and whether it marks a significant escalation in its war in ...1 day ago
- Bunyip birds and brolgas: how can we better protect species important to Indigenous people?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bradley J. Moggridge, Professor of Science, University of Technology Sydney Bradley Moggridge, Author provided Kamilaroi Country lies in far northwest New South Wales, past Tamworth and crossing over the Queensland border. Here, the bunyip bird (Australasian bittern, Botaurus poiciloptilus), and the ...1 day ago
- Who are the greatest Paralympians of all time?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vaughan Cruickshank, Senior Lecturer in Health and Physical Education, University of Tasmania Thousands of amazing athletes have competed in the Paralympics Games over the past 64 years. But who are the greatest of these Paralympians? And how would you decide? ...2 days ago
- ‘Put down the hammer and pick up the rammer’
One builder’s quest to find a culture of sustainability in construction. This is an excerpt from our environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. “Have you ever built a sandcastle?” asks Paul Geraets, founder of rammed earth building company Terra Firma. “Everybody has. Rammed earth is the same principle.” Rammed ...2 days ago
- The Friday Poem: ‘Riding in Cars with (Mostly Straight) Boys’ by Josiah Morgan
A new poem by Josiah Morgan. Riding in Cars with (Mostly Straight) Boys titled after a play by Sam Brooks I Back then Kade had a death wish, driving over a hundred an hour after school, past young lads, parents, through the suburbs, cop cars, girl friends. I drove too, ...2 days ago
- Du Val founder faces his last rodeo
Opinion: It was February 9 of this year that Newsroom revealed work had stopped on a big Du Val apartment project in Auckland as contractors threatened legal action.We had visited the Verge site in Mt Wellington. Scaffolders who said they hadn’t been paid were removing their gear. The site was otherwise empty ...2 days ago
- The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending September 6
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington. AUCKLAND 1 Pachinko by Min Jin Lee (Head of Zeus, $25) Min Jin Lee’s novel was published in ...2 days ago
- The government says more people need to use AI. Here’s why that’s wrong
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Erica Mealy, Lecturer in Computer Science, University of the Sunshine Coast The Australian government this week released voluntary artificial intelligence (AI) safety standards, alongside a proposals paper calling for greater regulation of the use of the fast-growing technology in high-risk situations. ...2 days ago
- Bill Shorten’s greatest legacy is the NDIS. It transformed the lives of people like me with disabi...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By George Taleporos, Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, Living with Disability Research Centre, La Trobe University Bill Shorten is resigning from politics in February next year. Throughout his 17 years in parliament, no achievement stands out more than his role in the creation of ...2 days ago
- Birth, deaths and marriages: we all have them, which is why they should be protected
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Janet McCalman, Emeritus Redmond Barry Distinguished Professor, The University of Melbourne Shutterstock Why does Victoria’s Births, Deaths and Marriages registry matter? Civil registrations are the most important documents created about you by the state: they certify your existence in time and ...2 days ago
-
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Connie Henson, Cojoint Senior Lecturer, Indigenous Studies, UNSW Sydney MilanMarkovic78/Shutterstock Many people with atrial fibrillation don’t have any symptoms. But this heart condition – which involves an irregular and often rapid heartbeat – increases the risk of stroke and heart failure, ...2 days ago
- The seasons change, but hope always prevails on Nadia’s Farm
The Masterchef NZ winner takes us back to the land with a new season of Nadia’s Farm. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. It’s a warm summer’s day in Central Otago, and Nadia Lim is trying to drive a tractor. The old, ...2 days ago
- Pacific profiles: Meet the teacher behind NZ’s longest-running Fijian language class
The Pacific profiles series shines a light on Pacific people in Aotearoa doing interesting and important work in their communities, as nominated by members of the public. Today, Losalini Tuwere. All photos by Geoffery Matautia. Losalini Tuwere runs the longest-running (and most consistent) Fijian language class in Aotearoa. Every Tuesday ...2 days ago
- NZ will retain sovereignty despite joining US space mission – Minister
Defence Minister Judith Collins says it's important New Zealand is committed to working with security partners on space security. ...2 days ago
- For God and country: why the choice of next US president is a religious choice, too
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Director of the Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy & Associate Professor, New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity Americans face a stark choice this November between two very different political visions. As I watched the ...2 days ago
- Australia has just been handed a map for getting to net zero. Here’s how it will guide us
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anna Malos, Climateworks Centre – Country Lead, Australia, Monash University AustralianCamera/Shutterstock Australia’s push for net-zero emissions received a welcome boost on Thursday, with the release of an official report showing how Australia can seek to cut domestic emissions across each sector ...2 days ago
- Limbs without limits: How New Zealand Paralympians get geared up for glory
Whether it’s for a Paralympic sprint or a simple stroll to the shops, a prosthetic limb is as individual as the person who wears it. Shanti Mathias visits the Auckland workshop where they’re created, customised and fitted. Eighteen thousand kilometres away from Paris, Kent Perkins is trying to balance the ...2 days ago
- Does intermittent fasting increase or decrease our risk of cancer?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amali Cooray, PhD Candidate in Genetic Engineering and Cancer, WEHI (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research) Stock-Asso/Shutterstock Research over the years has suggested intermittent fasting has the potential to improve our health and reduce the likelihood of developing cancer. ...2 days ago
So which drugs are you advocating should be decriminalised/legalised?
Surely not all of them?
why not? why should someone be prevent from putting something inside their own body?
Hard drugs only exist due to the economic incentives created due to prohibition. there would be no crack, p etc, if people were able to get cleaner, safer alternatives legally.
I’m sure more than a fair share of readers on here have consumed all manner of class A, B and C substances recreationally with zero harm to themselves and others (while others have had negative consequences, but I’m guessing far more have had negative consequences due to drinking and crap food).
Drug police doesn’t belong to the police. If it is *any* business of governemnts, surely its a health and taxation issue, not a criminal one.
“Hard drugs only exist due to the economic incentives created due to prohibition. there would be no crack, p etc, if people were able to get cleaner, safer alternatives legally.”
I seriously, seriously doubt that. Alcohol is already legal, and all of the lesser drugs are generally available to anyone who is using the harder drugs (“gateway” drugs, dontchaknow), and yet they choose to use the harder drugs.
Agreed. I’m against legalization. I for semi-legalization for the old, for
the sick, for the stupid. Take the fashion out of illegal drugs, make
them a lifestyle choice of failures. Too often its the rich who can
afford them, and should be in rehab not on our tv talking to us about
ethics and morals. Drugs are something old people do. Government
should farm and sell them to those who have a prescription from a doctor.
Then drug screening for all professionals.
Not the case.
Meth is easy to make and hence is a lot more widely available then E, which needs a hard to get key ingredient and rather more difficult chemistry.
Err Lanth, I think you misunderstood that. Alcohol and tobacco aren’t clean or safe.
Mike’s statement seems to be on the basis that the only reason people do hard drugs is because economically you get more bang for your buck, and people don’t actually care about the type of high that they get. Which is just silly.
His position makes even less sense if you legalise all drugs, because then the supposed economic difference he says makes people do hard drugs would be even more diminished.
http://ironwolf.dangerousgames.com/blog/archives/458
Just the top 10 on the list OOPss there goes Alcohol and Tobacco.
If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em (safe option, I will look after you).
Why not all of them? Horse riding is more damaging than dope according to the sacked health officer in the UK. So called hard drugs are only dangerous because of their illegality. The only control should be over drug use and driving etc that puts others at risk. But ultimately people will always use opiates in capitalist society, its a question of what is least damaging until we can build a society in which recreational drugs are not a heavy scene. We definitely shouldnt criminalise what is mass consumption in the working class, nor deliberately cultivate crime in breaking the prohibition. And that’s not even taking into consideration the opportunity cost of prohibition lost.
You think they should legalize all drugs???
What are you, high??
I can understand dope, I guess there is not a lot of crime caused by people who smoke dope.
Surly you dont think P should be legal?? If it becomes legal it becomes legal to sell or course, I dont want to go down to the warehouse and while Im buying some dvds, walk past the P aisle.
How would they market it too,
Become brian dead, become violent, have some P only $9.99
$9.99, you will be out of your mind.
“But new research on Portugal’s drug policy suggests that this isn’t necessarily so. Portugal decriminalized possession of all drugs in 2001. The outcome, after nearly a decade, according to a study published in the November issue of the British Journal of Criminology: less teen drug use, fewer HIV infections, fewer AIDS cases and more drugs seized by law enforcement. Adult drug use rates did slightly increase — but this increase was not greater than that seen in nearby countries that did not change their drug policies. The use of drugs by injection declined.”
Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2010/11/23/portugals-drug-experience-new-study-confirms-decriminalization-was-a-success/#ixzz1OYVxTEh8
Maybe if your opinions were actually based on facts, supported by evidence, overseas examples etc you would have a leg to stand on. At present your emotional knee-jerk answer is just ignorance and arrogance…
http://www.leap.cc
Whilst I am slightly uneasy about the idea of legalising all drugs, I agree strongly with Eddie that this country needs drug law reform urgently.
We are simply hurting ourselves more the longer we don’t have reform.
Dave Brown, I highly recommend you look at the summary of the Law Commission’s report:
LINK: http://www.lawcom.govt.nz/project/review-misuse-drugs-act-1975?quicktabs_23=report
Personally, I’d rather have National in government but I think it’s a shame they stick so strongly to their rather old fashioned views on drugs.
Bugger the NATS they will sell anything that’s not bolted down.. As to the drug thing how hard would it be to legislate and distribute pot, make it cheaper and of a consistent quality Then No sale to under 18’s just like the other poisons on the market Alcohol and Nicotine. Allow a person at home to grow a couple of plants. etc etc I have mentioned this before on here and whoever said that $500K Per year was a lot to waste on the ‘enforcement’ (more like just burning cash) I actually think that $500k is light, way light. there would also be the untold millions that would be saved from not jailing every poor bastard that grows a weed. it would gut the gangs take as well if anyone can grow a bit for them selves, or who can go to an approved outlet or licensed Marijuana Cafe. And also violent crime should drop as well. I have NEVER seen an aggressive stoner yet and I don’t expect to. But a weekend in any main centre is like a bloody battleground sometimes because of Alcohol, so more savings there. Now to all those of you who will inevitably come out of the woodwork about psychosis, and other nasties. Get a life. You are happy to medicate anyone who is deemed to be ‘psychotic’ with a weird and wonderful cocktail of very strong chemicals, or even worse leave them out in public, to drink and take what ever. So who is to say a little pot won’t help rather than hinder. And I have not even touched on the other benefit of Marijuana. HEMP, Cheap and abundant.
As to health read
https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Cannabis_%28drug%29
Brett, I think you know in your own mind that your comment is plain and simple hyperbole.
You don’t walk past the smokes or piss aisle at The Warehouse do you?
If we were all a bit more sensible about the idea of legalisation, control and treatment we’d all be a lot better off
I do at a supermarket, yeah there needs to be reform, but to legalize all drugs, is beyond belief, its the worst thing this country can do.
http://www.leap.cc
So Brett Dale knows more about drugs than for former head of Narcotics at Scotland yard, and a growing list of retired judges, DEA agents and police officers does he?
The experts say legalise yet you know better do you?
If you got diagnosed with a medical condition I bet you give your 2 cents to the doctor too, cos y’know, what the fuck do experts know?
For every expert you quote on drugs,i could find another with a different point of view.
Legalizing all drug is just plain crazy
Oooh, the John Key defence. Well played, Sir!
Lol!
NZ society is addicted to oil. That ‘drug’ addiction is far more costly and far more damaging than all the others put together. ….. balance of payments, a daily toll of deaths and injuries, and long term environmental impacts likely to render most of the Earth uninhabitable.
Oil addiction is sancrosanct, of course, since the boys and girls at the top are making far too much money out of it.
I doubt oil kills more people than tobacco.
Tobacco is prett awful but addicts tend to kill themselves more than they kill other people. Oil tends to kill cyclists, pedestrians and 20-somethings.
Oil addiction is in the process of killing the planet we live on. The effects take a long time to build up, but we are rapidly appeoaching the point of envionmental collapse [due to oil and coal] killing more people than anything else on Earth. Atmospheric is CO2 up again -now 394ppm.
And, inrterestingly, oil addiction is slowly killing the NZ economy, along with most other economies. We may have 3 or 4 years before we reach a state similar to Greece now. .
Have you read the recent report
http://www.globalcommissionondrugs.org/Report
There are some great ideas from some of the most intelligent successful people of our time.
To save that kind of money you’d have to sack a lot of public servants, every year.
“are youout of your mind”… no, he’s just using a longer view than you are.
this reaction is all too uncommom from the people who have yet to fathom that they are using the very logic that the drug dealers, who have been successfully framing the debate, would have us all believing..
consider for one, the fact that the massive amoounts of money involved in the trade mean that there has to be involvement by people who inhabit the boardooms of our largest corporates. the task of laundering such vast sums can’t be done without their involvement…so a large percentage of illegal drug profits are going into government/corporate coffers.. (amounts to the same thing)
you might be interested to know what mexico’s view on decriminalisation is, for instance.. it would cost their economy hundreds of millions of dollars at the least.. just one of many examples of why governments/corporates have a vested interest in keeping the laws,as they stand intact.
in assuming a position according to the official wisdom, you do no more than allow the drug dealers to frame the debate to suit the maintainence of profits…
drugs (alcohol, cannabis, opium, mescalin,etc) have been around, and used by humans for as long as there have been humans … we are letting laws passed in the thirties by a government who were simply trying to rid themselves of competition for jobs from(legal)immigrants fracture our society, and isolate us from our own…..
time for the blinkers to come off.. prohibition has been proven over and over again to do harm without achieving any of it’s goals…..unless driving up profits is the aim of course…. then you could call the tactic a raging success.
come to think of it, john key would probably approve of the increase in gdp that toughening the laws would cause.
In my life I’ve taken Acid, E, smoked P once before I knew the hardfully effects, smoked a lot of pot.
E and Acid were great fun.
For some drugs, I don’t see what the issue is. More people die via alch problems.
Acid: All you do is stare at how cool stuff is. That drug is a real eye opener.
E: Just awesome fun
Pot: Mellows me out and lets me focus/unwind.
It’s a waste of time enforcing some of these, biggest one being pot imo.
Hmm no comment? E and Acid are great. Let me know how many people have died on acid vs alch. Acid is an eye opener.
Umm how about E vs Alcohol and Tobacco??? E was 250 in 4 years vs 114,000 a year from tobacco and up to 40000 from Alcohol and that was in England only
The tables further down make for interesting reading and this is just an English study, google up more if you don’t believe me, or this.
http://www.drugscope.org.uk/resources/faqs/faqpages/how-many-people-die-from-drugs
Don’t leave me to fight alone???? I need you, I need an honourable man to fight for me, where are you? Where are you hiding, come out of hiding and show yourself!
You have to make that choice- NOW!
the problem with drugs is that the user always wants more and according to those who know the primary goal of addiction is to prevent the addict feeling their own true thoughts and feelings.
address these problems and then there might be a way forward.
The problem with you statement Randal is that you’ve used the words “drugs and addicition” when you should have used the words “money and Banker”.
This is the one single policy that could tick all the boxes. Save the public purse, grow the public purse, protect the children, attack organised crime, otherwise sensible new zealanders not being locked up or having their ability to travel and work impaired due to the random fact they got caught. Imagine the tourism benefits? As Amsterdam taketh away, NZ giveth to all.
Addiction is a health issue and stealing is a criminal issue. When a person commits a crime to feed their addiction the person may go to jail, which is not going to assist recovery for a health issue.
I find it interesting that the government realises that an addict may require a medical benefit due to their addiction and on the other hand they are processed by the courts when caught stealing to fund their addiction. A balance has to be found on how best to manage the cost of being incarcerated, but not being rehabilitated due to the incarceration.
Last night (while house sitting) I saw most of a National Geographic doco on how heroin addicts are being managed in Holland. Once or twice a day the person goes to a clinic and the addict administers their heroin. Stealing has reduced by 50 % and addicts are able to hold down limited employment, relationships are not as strained and they are not as shallow.
In Holland addicts are being offered a solution to prevent commiting crime and drug dealers are finding business being slowed.
NZ does have to take a look at decriminalising a person having a marijuana pot plant for their own use. Anything more than marijuana is not advisable. A true addict has a disease and their addiction makes them a criminal if they are stealing to feed their habit.
No one can stop their addiction other than the person who is messing up their body and their life by taking drugs.
“on how heroin addicts are being managed in Holland. Once or twice a day the person goes to a clinic and the addict administers their heroin.”
I’m betting this is probably methadone, not heroin. We have the same system in New Zealand already.
nah, it’s heroin. They do the same in Switzerland
Medical grade heroin, the bottle was shown and it is a clear liquid. There were about eight people on the room shooting up.
I am unable to supply a reference as I do not have Sky but it was on at 10.30 pm.
the dutch, being sensible and clever, have noted the fact that methadone is more addictive than heroin… which has been one of the failings of nz’s programs.
similar reasoning as introducing cane toads into australia to kill another imported pest… worked just like replacing one addiction with a stronger one would… ……not.
My sister has assisted a methadone addict while she was volunteering with Women’s Refuge. From her description of the whole procedure, I get the impression that a good part of the methadone system in place is specifically designed to dehumanise and punish the addicts.
Anytime you want to use some facts feel free. Prohibition is bankrupting us both morally and spiritually as a country. There are many in high places that will fight any changes tooth and nail, not because of any thought for the children of today and tomorrow, but because of the money they are making feeding the masses their poisons! We need to i) Gain control of the drug market so we can ii) manipulate the drug market. At the moment we are letting the gangs look after it, this is unacceptable. We’ve almost missed the boat in hemp technologies, and the patents for the med side of things are comming in thick and fast from the big boys – Do we want a good economy were all the peasants are rich, happy and enjoying life for THEIR OWN PLEASURE? God dammit man, you’ve lost your mind! Happy People? For goodness sake noooo!
Legalize pot, make it 18+ and the unlicensed sale is banned. As long as I can grow it at home I don’t really care about how they deal with the sale of the stuff. But that right there is the problem, most smokers are going to opt to grow their own; so less revenue for the government.
There’s a place (somewhere, I don’t remember where but probably Australia) they were giving fines for pot possession like a driving offence, pay a fine, skip the conviction. I’d be into that.
Why should anyone be fined for possession of weed though? Sure, it’s not be as bad as locking people up but FFS it’s just as unjustified.
I agree, in a perfect world i’d be toking up hard from the half acre patch I’m growing with no recriminations.
All you need to know about the war on drugs here and here. Ol’ Bill Lee was quite the straight shooter!
I certainly think that there’s a case for partially decriminalising pot, especially for palliative aid reasons, and having mere spot fines, as well as an R18 age of consent for smoking it. And perhaps too, penalties against distributing it to people living with schizophrenia, given that a subset will develop cannabis-related psychosis. I’d scrap the Class C section of the Misuse of Drugs Act altogether, trial supervised injecting facilities as is the case in Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Vancouver’s Insite programme, emphasise harm minimisation and risk reduction with Class B drugs like E.
As for Class A, P/crystal meth is unlike the others. While there’s some leeway for dealing with pot, E and party drugs, that doesn’t apply to P. It’s in a different category altogether and traditional interdiction strategies are the best in that context. Added to which, in the States, meth labs have grown in proportion to Bush era welfare privatisation in poor rural and inner city areas.
So P is the new alcohol booster for poor youth? Like lots of other drugs that make alcohol cheaper.
Prohibition of P doesnt work any more than prohibition for alcohol. All it does is create crime and uncontrolled destruction. Better to have it in the open and regulated, confronting social causes, not demonising individuals, and providing well funded support services until such time as the real cause capitalist poverty is eliminated.
End ‘war on drugs’ now
Far more harm and social destruction has been caused by the West’s anti-drug laws than by the actual misuse of narcotics, says Eddie Ford
By any measure, the 24-page report published on June 2 by the 19-member Global Commission on Drug Policy is a scathing indictment of the madness that is the current ‘war on drugs’, and especially the role played in it by the United States.[1] Far from reducing the supply and use of drugs, or curbing the power of organised crime, it has had the opposite effect – with total predictability, of course. Yet those who insist on conducting this ‘war’, as the report notes, know full well that it is a doomed venture, but pretend to the world that victory is within sight. [read more]
http://www.cpgb.org.uk/article.php?article_id=1004423
I agree that addressing the destructive New Right social policies that led to the rise of our national P/crystal meth problem is neccessary beforehand, but I wasn’t suggesting ‘demonising’ P users. However, P/crystal meth is heavily implicated in domestic violence, unsafe sex and carries toxicity risks if children are present in meth labs. I’m sceptical that in this particular instance, harm minimisation and risk reduction measures that would work in the context of other drugs, actually do.
What was it Phil Goff said- tough on crime and on the causes of crime?
So you think that although it doesn’t work, lock up P addicts ’cause we need a scape goat? No way – how many kids will never try P because they smoked some legal weed , got the munchies and went to circle K for a slushy instead? Prohibition and criminalization are the drivers behind the harms of drug use. P addicts are a symptom of a wider problem, throwing them in jail only allows them to hook up with a really good network of non-narks. I know it’s hard to accept but the law is an ass, un-enforcable, unjust and against the will of the people.