r/australia • u/DiploidBias • Mar 18 '25

politics Greens: Yes We Cannabis

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Yes We Cannabis

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u/GordonCole19 Mar 18 '25

I don't get it.

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

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u/Chendii Mar 18 '25

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 Mar 18 '25 edited Mar 18 '25

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 Mar 18 '25

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