A number of prominent Australians have joined together as part of a campaign calling for an end to the country's war on drugs. The campaign was kicked off last week with the publication of a report from the think tank Australia 21. The report was the product of a meeting of 24 former (and one incumbent) senior Australian politicians and experts on drug policy, which was set up specifically to explore the principles and recommendations made last year by the Global Commission on Drug Policy.
Those who participated in the meeting that led to the report include current foreign minister Bob Carr, former New South Wales health minister Michael Wooldridge, former West Australian premier Geoff Gallop, former head of the federal police Mick Palmer, and former New South Wales director of public prosecutions Nicholas Cowdery.
The report generated a huge amount of press attention, being covered on Sky News Australia and discussed in all major Australian newspapers. (For a full list of all the media coverage for the report, see here.)
Due to the level of coverage the report received, Australia's prime minister, Julia Gillard, was forced to issue a formulaic dismissal of its findings, stating: "Drugs kill people, they rip families apart, they destroy lives and we want to see less harm done by drug usage." Although the response of many incumbent politicians echoed Gillard's, the media response was, on the whole, favourable, with a lot of opinion pieces criticising the Australian government's attempts to shut down debate on the issue.
5 comments:
Sorry to correct you but I was watching it unfold live. Julia Gillard was asked immediately after the press gathering and report release. She had not even read it but was asked her oppinion. Her reply was illinformed and robotic and well before all the other press the report got. As was Nicola roxons response. Then that night the media stations replayed same tape as though it was a reply; as though she had read it. Media beat up sadly. It is impossible to read the report and still tout prohibition as an answer. Thanks freedom
Obviously the message that the war on drugs should end is excellent, but unfortunately this campaign is part of a consistent trend: the only politicians who ever say anything sensible about drugs are EX-politicians. As long as they're in office they'll never stick their head above the parapet.
Thanks for the clarification Freedom
Nickleberry, thanks for your post. The situation you describe has changed though, since the presidents in Latin America called for reform whilst in post.
Australia better be careful or they'll get a visit from Mr. Biden...
"...the so-called “war on drugs” is not a war on pills, powder, plants, and potions, it is war on mental states — a war on consciousness itself — how much, what sort we are permitted to experience, and who gets to control it. More than an unintentional misnomer, the government-termed “war on drugs” is a strategic decoy label; a slight-of-hand move by government to redirect attention away from what lies at ground zero of the war — each individual’s fundamental right to control his or her own consciousness."
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