ACT laws set to take effect next month will decriminalize the possession of small quantities of specific drugs.
The federal opposition is making efforts to overturn this ACT legislation.
Canberra Liberals leader Elizabeth Lee disagrees with the intervention of her federal colleagues.
Shadow attorney-general Michaelia Cash has introduced a private senator’s bill known as the Australian Capital Territory Dangerous Drugs Bill 2023, which will be debated next month.
Under the ACT laws passed about a year ago, individuals found in possession of amounts considered as “personal possession” (smaller than traffickable quantities) will face fines rather than criminal charges. These laws are scheduled to come into effect next month and will enable law enforcement to continue targeting drug dealers and disrupting the drug trade in Canberra.
Federal opposition leader Peter Dutton expressed shock and dismay at the new laws, asserting that they would essentially encourage drug use and importation in Canberra. He also argued that these laws would strain police resources and increase drug-related deaths.
West Australian Liberal Senator Michaelia Cash is leading the effort to overturn the ACT’s drug decriminalization laws, claiming that they have opened the door to dangerous drugs. She called on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Labor Senator Katy Gallagher to address this issue.
In response, ACT Labor Senator Katy Gallagher emphasized that the laws were a matter for the ACT Assembly, which is democratically elected by ACT voters. She defended the rights of Canberrans to determine their own laws and policies.
Canberra Liberals leader Elizabeth Lee expressed concerns about her federal counterparts’ attempt to challenge the laws, emphasizing the importance of territory rights. She disagreed with the new laws but believed that federal intervention was not the appropriate way to overturn them, urging voters to decide the matter in the next ACT election.
Senator Cash’s bill represents the third recent attempt by federal parliamentarians to influence or change ACT laws. These actions have raised concerns about federal interference in territory affairs and have been met with opposition by some ACT politicians, including independent Senator David Pocock and ACT Attorney-General Shane Rattenbury.
In conclusion, the federal opposition is making efforts to reverse the ACT’s decriminalization of small quantities of certain drugs, leading to a contentious debate about territory rights and federal interference in ACT legislation.