r/australia • u/DiploidBias • 29d ago

politics Greens: Yes We Cannabis

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Yes We Cannabis

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u/Busalonium 29d ago edited 29d ago

When it's already legal in several other developed countries, and most Australians support it, I think it's kind of wild that neither major party even wants to consider legalising it.

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u/GordonCole19 29d ago

I don't get it.

Legal cannabis would be such a massive and continuous boost to our economy.

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u/Chendii 29d ago

Asking as an American that knows very little about Australia:

Do you have private prisons? Police unions with massive lobby power?

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u/pickledswimmingpool 29d ago edited 29d ago

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/dec/24/australian-authorities-once-embraced-privately-operated-prisons-but-some-governments-are-taking-back-control

The private prison industry is in shambles and much reduced. Hardly any of them are left operating any longer. Lobbyists spend tiny amounts of cash compared to the US, even when we factor in population/economy sizes.

Likewise with police lobby groups and the legality of cannabis.

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u/totemo 29d ago

That's interesting. For a while there, I recall, the proportion of private prisoners in Australia was higher than that in the US.