FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
14 October, 2025
Legalise Cannabis Victoria condemns the Allan Labor Government’s decision to rule out decriminalising cannabis.
Today, the Premier has demonstrated a stunning lack of courage in failing to move ahead with cannabis law reform. The government has rejected the findings of a joint party Parliamentary Inquiry that recommended, among other things, decriminalisation of small quantities of cannabis and the ability to grow at home. The Committee’s findings were unanimously supported by Government and Legalise Cannabis Victoria.
Despite Legalise Cannabis Victoria MPs working collaboratively with the Allan Labor Government for the past three years, we can announce today that they have declined to support a single recommendation of the inquiry into our Regulation of Personal Adult Use of Cannabis Bill 2023. To this end, they have failed to stand up for the critically overburdened police workforce, to listen to legal and health experts and, to do what the community wants.
Experts say sensible reform is needed
In this year’s Penington Oration, the highly respected former Supervising Magistrate of the Victorian Drug Courts, His Honour Tony Parsons, described cannabis law reform as the “Holy Trinity” of good policy:
It’s the right thing to do.
It’s backed by evidence.
It enjoys broad community support.
Cannabis law reform can and should be done now – and Labor knows it. At the past two ALP State Conferences, members have voted overwhelmingly in favour of legalisation. Even Jeff Kennett called for decriminalisation back in the mid-1990s. If the Premier was serious about crime reduction she would focus on real law and order issues and not on criminalising close to 4,000 Victorians who were arrested last year – purely for personal consumption or possession.
The Victorian Government has enough political capital to be bold.
With a dysfunctional Opposition, positive evidence from the ACT (where cannabis was decriminalised over 5 years ago) and 80%+ public support for decriminalisation, there has never been a better time to do what we know is right and inevitable. Victoria’s prisons are full. Our courts are backlogged to breaking point. We have a shortage of close to 2,000 police officers and, we are so desperate for corrections staff we are offering candidates $8,000 sign-on bonuses. If not now, then when.
QUOTES ATTRIBUTABLE TO DAVID ETTERSHANK
“The Government seeks to be the toughest Party on crime, and we have been told that they believe the next election will be a “law and order” election. Given the scarcity of police, court and now prison resources, why would any sensible government arrest 4,000 Victorians a year for the victimless offence of possessing a small amount of cannabis?”
“If arresting a young person with a joint is being “tough on crime” then this government is showing how totally out of touch it is with the real crimes that are hitting Victorians. Worse though, being convicted for cannabis use regularly destroys that young Victorian’s chances of getting a job, being able to get finance or to rent a home.”
QUOTES ATTRIBUTABLE TO RACHEL PAYNE
“We have negotiated with Labor in good faith for three years. The criminalisation of cannabis has caused so much harm. Last year we saw a tidal wave of MPs step forward and admit they had consumed cannabis. There is an immense privilege that comes with being able to make such a disclosure – others are forced into the judicial system and stamped with criminal records.”
“The hypocrisy in this space is staggering. Marginalised people are the ones in prison for cannabis – including an enormous proportion of First Nations Victorians. Aboriginal Victorians are 8 times more likely to be arrested for cannabis possession and represent almost 10% of cannabis related arrests, even though they make up 1% of the Victorian population. And this in the era of Treaty.”
“The criminal cannabis market burdens police, clogs our courts and props up organised crime – that’s the real law and order issue here.”
Contact Christine Tondorf, Media and Communications to David Ettershank:
