Parliament of Victoria | Legislative Council | Members Statement
13 August 2026
David ETTERSHANK (Western Metropolitan Region):
I rise to congratulate the member for Niddrie on becoming the Premier of Victoria. I read his recent interview in the Guardian and was buoyed to hear that Premier Carroll has a socially progressive leaning, is committed to evidence rather than ideological-based policy and supports treaty, early intervention for young people and working to elevate the disadvantaged, which all ties well, we hope, with his openness to follow the ACT in decriminalising the possession and cultivation of small amounts of cannabis for personal use.
The Premier rightly noted that current cannabis laws disproportionately affect First Nations people, young people and lower income Victorians, leading to unnecessary contact with the criminal justice system and all the adverse consequences related thereto.
Decriminalisation is why everyone from the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service to the Victorian AMA to the Victorian Trades Hall Council to the ALP state conference support cannabis law reform.
We very much look forward to working with the Premier and his team to realise cannabis decriminalisation. Eighty per cent of Victorians support it and it can enable the urgent reallocation of policing resources to target real crimes.
