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Sunday, September 25, 2011

A moment in time













I spent the morning in the company of Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei (and others) and found myself in the unique position of being the bearer of strange and earth-shattering news, having watched Don Brash on Q&A announce that his Act Party were adopting as their own policy, the de-criminalization of cannabis.
That's correct, THE DE-CRIMINALIZATION OF CANNABIS.
Act Party.
Don Brash.
No wonder Boscawen has abandoned ship.
It was great to share the joke with Metiria.

20 comments:

fredinthegrass said...

If politics were to be a circle, Act would be next to the Greens. Now there's a thought.

robertguyton said...

I used to travel to the 'meet the candidate' events with the Act candidate, Fred.
He never wanted to talk decrim :-)
In fact, we didn't agree on anything at all! Made the time pass quickly though - Southland's roads are long and winding.

fredinthegrass said...

life's never dull in your neck of the woods,Rg.

robertguyton said...

It's a lively little spot, Fred.

Lofty said...

It was great to share the joke Metiria.

There fixed it for you. No need to thank me Bobby.

I am for decrim, legalise it control it tax it.

Lofty said...

And shouldn't it be Tureis, Guytons???

southernrata said...

Delighted to meet you today Robert, and it was fun to pip you at the post by announcing John Boscowan's retirement : ).

It wasn't until I got home tonight that I could find the press release and see that you were right, and we weren't the victims of some cruel hoax.

robertguyton said...

Of course it should Lofty, but had you paid attention during Aunty Pania's reo lessons, you'd have remembered that there is no 's' in the whole of Maori Language.
And yep, control and tax, that's the way us authoritarians like it, eh :-)

robertguyton said...

Hi Southernrata - you did, pip me, and you did it well :-)
Together, we were the NewsBreakers - fancy having our fingers closer to the pulse than the leader of a major political party!

I'm sure Metiria's still laughing.
I know I am.
Hope the Arapawas are well!

Armchair Critic said...

I am for decrim, legalise it control it tax it.
If it is for personal use only, it can't be sold. If it can't be sold, it can't be taxed. Or am I missing something?

robertguyton said...

Brash won't support home-growing. That's too, too free for he.
Treat it like tobacco is what I suspect he's thinking must retain control...
In reality, I think Brash is simply head-line grabbing and will quickly discard this latest 'outrage'. I'm of two minds - is he consciously trying to scupper Act, or is he believing that all it needs is noise to collect enough votes to hit 5%, regardless of what that noise means or doesn't mean.

Armchair Critic said...

I quite liked ACT as a real liberal political party. Not enough to vote for them, but I understood why people voted for them.
Decriminalising cannabis is a move back to liberalism, and I quite like the idea, though I won't be taking advantage when it happens.
Growing one's own (anything) is the ultimate in individual expression, I'm sure Dr Brash supports it.

Lofty said...

No I don't tbhnk you missed anythng critic, I just see as an issue that has been with us for bloody years, cost us millions upon millions to "police".

I would rather it was under a similar regime to alchol, control it, tax it, spend the proceeds on education.

Like alcohol & tobacco you can make/grow your own no problem, but you cannot sell it.

robertguyton said...

Grow it in your back yard, Lofty?
What about those scally-wag kids next-door, nicking your buds?
Where's your sense of responsibility?
At least when you are brewing your own beer, it lives inside where you can keep it safe.
Maybe you mean for growers to use foil-lined cupboards?

Armchair Critic said...

I just see as an issue that has been with us for bloody years, cost us millions upon millions to "police"
I find it very difficult to see anyone who smokes a bit of marijuana (and is otherwise law-abiding) as a criminal. Totally agree the effort put into policing these laws is completely wasted (pun semi-intended).

Lofty said...

You know very well what I mean.

Don't be antagonistic so early on a monday.

& when I talk about education I don't mean educating kids in the use of the damn stuff.

More education in bringing no hoper parents and individuals up to speed with societies norms.

Stick that in your pipe and smoke it!

Anonymous said...

Did you feel the need to wash after spending the morning in her company?

robertguyton said...

Killer comment, Anonymous! You're top o' the pile when it comes to brilliant blog comments.
May I call you a dork?
Yes.
I may!

Anonymous said...

It was great to share the joke with Metiria.

Delahunty swings both ways?

robertguyton said...

Better! You're twice the dork I thought you!