Police Arrest Patient For Possessing Medicinal Cannabis: An Interview with MCUA’s Deb Lynch
On June 19, Queensland police arrested Deb Lynch, secretary of the Medicinal Cannabis Users Association of Australia (MCUA), on charges of possessing a dangerous drug. Several officers were at her Cornubia residence on a different matter, when they noticed her...
A Victory for the Street Kitchen and Safe Space, As Government Provides Housing
In an unprecedented move, Housing NSW has “throw out the rule book” and offered housing to the rough sleepers who’ve been staying overnight at Sydney’s 24-7 Street Kitchen and Safe Space. On Saturday, City of Sydney council workers and NSW...
Turnbull Clears the Way for Indian Company to Build Adani Mine
A bill amending native title law was passed in the Senate on June 14 with bipartisan support. In February, attorney-general George Brandis rushed the legislation through the lower house in response to a Federal Court decision that threatened past and future Indigenous...
Applying for Asylum: An Interview with Asylum Seekers Centre’s Steven Glass
At the end of May, Australian immigration minister Peter Dutton gave 7,500 asylum seekers until October 1 to lodge their applications for a visa, or face deportation. Dutton went so far as to imply that some of these people – who made...
Victoria Police May Get the Power to Search Without a Reason
Victoria police are pushing the Andrews government to expand police search powers at music festivals, so that officers are able to search patrons for drugs without having a reasonable suspicion to do so. Police claim the powers are necessary to...
Barriers to Medicinal Cannabis: An Interview with Medical Cannabis Advisory’s Grace Sands
Last week, a Greens motion passed through federal parliament that allows terminally ill patients faster access to cannabis medicines. These patients are now able to import up to three months’ supply of medical marijuana from regulated markets overseas. The disallowance motion...
The Australian Prison Boom: Taking Care of Big Business
The number of people being detained in Australian correctional facilities is at an all-time high. As of March this year, there were 40,577 full-time adult inmates in this country, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics figures released this month. The Australian prisoner...
Disabled Pensioners: the Government’s New Drug War Targets
The Turnbull government has hit a new low in its war against drugs. Legislation has just been tabled that proposes to deny the pension to hundreds of people who are currently deemed disabled due to their level of drug or...
Terminally Ill Given Faster Access to Medical Cannabis
A Greens motion passed through the federal Senate on Tuesday that allows terminally ill patients faster access to medicinal cannabis. Under the new provisions, patients that have a prescription are able to import up to three months of the medicine from regulated...
Australia’s Denial of Indigenous Rights: An Interview with Koorie Institute’s Terry Mason
The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (DRIP) is an international human rights agreement outlining the inalienable rights of the First Peoples of all continents and islands of the globe. Although it’s not legally binding, it sets up guiding...
