Parliament of Victoria | Legislative Council | Members Statements
9 September, 2026
David ETTERSHANK (Western Metropolitan Region):
I rise to speak on a subject close to my own heart and those of my constituents: gardening. After the long winter stretch, it is delightful to see the blossoming citrus and the daffodils and jonquils emerging in my garden, which is in constant flux, with some delight appearing almost every day.
I can attest to the therapeutic value of gardening. Getting your hands in the soil clears the mind and lets you focus on what is in front of you. It is mindfulness in action.
Right now across Victoria, thousands of keen gardeners are prepping their garden beds in order to sow their annual cannabis crop. Growing your own cannabis is economical and allows for greater control over what you are growing – no need for heavy pesticides or toxic chemicals.
Most people do it for the love of it. There is nothing quite so restful as checking, pruning and feeding your plants, and nothing quite so rewarding as harvesting your own crop. Or so I am told.
I could never condone such activity, because growing a couple of cannabis plants in the privacy and security of your own backyard, inexplicably and ridiculously, remains a crime in Victoria.
