Ted Bailieu Leader Liberal Party 13/06/06

The Following is a copy of our letter dated 13th June 2006 to:-

Ted Baillieu
Leader of the Liberal Party
325 Camberwell Road
Camberwell 3124 13th June 2006

Dear Mr. Ted Baillieu Re: Responsible Government

As you may not be aware, On 31st May 1996, As both houses of Parliament assembled, an historic moment itself, to note the reports of the Premier's Drug Advisory Council and the address of Professor David Penington. The Government and Opposition accepted the broad thrust of the Penington report. It was only after recommendations 7.1 to 7.5 had been deleted, the report gained support. For your convenience and consideration, I have enclosed herewith, retyped copies of the unsupported recommendations.

We need not illustrate the public unrest when they learnt the most impotent recommendations had not been supported. Again this leaving open to ponder just how many members of the 53rd Parliament, have committed obligations, to protect the financial interest of their colleges in the legal profession, This leaving open to question a conflict of interest

During 1997, Access Economics reported, "that spending on illegal drugs in Australia amounts to $7 billion, Seventy per cent of the spending on illegal drugs is on cannabis "(Ref. source .vic.gov.drug reform strategy "turning the tide" page 18) Surely, these billions of dollars could be spent on more worthwhile things. The Australian National Council on Drugs publication March 2006, which appears, in-part, to be deliberately misleading the people of Australia. We also note the ANCD has inserted a disclaimer on the publication of the material..

We are deeply concerned and point out, between 1996 and 2006 there has been over 150,000 Victorians convicted for cannabis related offences. In one year alone (1996) Legal Aid spent 14 million dollars on legal representation defending cannabis consumers that had pleaded guilty. How many more Victorians will end up with a criminal convictions? .Wake up

Considering the hundreds of thousands of Victorians adults that use cannabis on regular bases, rather then alcohol for their for recreation needs. We point out, that Alcohol is one of the main causes of domestic violence in Victorian homes, In 2005, there were 28,854 cases reported to police, an average 2400 per month, this being slightly higher then the previous year, which is predicted to further increase by the end of the next financial year.

It is quite clear over the last thirty years, Cannabis prohibition has caused a costly an unnecessary burden on the people of Victoria. We have no doubt whatsoever, that our future historians will record our turbulent time as a society that could not distinguish between good and bad, right or wrong.

After you have perused Professor David Penington 1996 report to Parliament, contemplate the millions of dollars spent, you may well understand our disappointment in the outcome. With the best interest and future welfare of many Victorians in mind, We ask, if you could personally show any cause and reasons why cannabis should remain a prohibited substance?

Yours sincerely Les McDonald

Copy of recommenations posted soon.