Cannabis law reform
Rachel PAYNE (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:11): My question is for the Minister for Police, represented in this place by the Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation. I was pleased to hear recent reports that some drug offences are at their lowest recorded levels in decades, and all drug offences remain well below average. I am hopeful that this reflects Victoria Police understanding that drug prohibition has failed. Choosing to direct their resources to violent crimes like assault, which recent reports state is up by 10 per cent, makes more sense. So my question is: will the minister call for the decriminalisation of cannabis so that Victoria Police can continue to prioritise violent crimes?
Enver ERDOGAN (Northern Metropolitan – Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation, Minister for Corrections, Minister for Youth Justice) (12:12): I thank Ms Payne for her question and her passion on this matter. She has been very consistent throughout this whole term of government, in the 60th Parliament, so I will make sure that that is passed on to the Minister for Police in the other place for a response in line with the standing orders.
Rachel PAYNE (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:12): I thank the minister for referring that on. By way of supplementary, people often think that no-one is arrested for cannabis anymore; that is simply not true. Last year 3180 people were arrested for cannabis possession, 398 of which were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This over-representation is consistent with the fact that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are eight times more likely to be arrested for possession of cannabis instead of receiving a caution. So will the minister commit to addressing the failures in Victoria’s cannabis cautioning program?
Enver ERDOGAN (Northern Metropolitan – Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation, Minister for Corrections, Minister for Youth Justice) (12:13): I thank Ms Payne for that supplementary question, and in line with the standing orders I will seek a written response from the Minister for Police in the other place.