Posts by MikeE
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Am I the only one who sees the irony in
a) most of the time its blogs which are posted under psudenoms that support the EFA.
b) when commenting on the EFA, those who support it on blogs tend to comment as anonymous
c) There appears to be more on the political left who post comment as "anon" on NZ based political blogs. -
Party pill ban delayed
12.12.2007
By MICHELE McPHERSONA new law banning party pills containing the chemical BZP has been delayed _ meaning they can be legally sold over the Christmas-New Year holiday period.
The delay has happened because Parliament has run out of time for the second reading of the Misuse of Drugs (Classification of BZP) Amendment Bill.
The bill was to become law on December 18, but the second reading of the bill could now be as far away as late January, the Bay of Plenty Times has learned.
Associate Health Minister Jim Anderton's press secretary, Liz Grant, said because the Green Party opposes the bill, it refuses to grant it urgency in Parliament.
"With the agreement of all parties, legislation can come before the House under urgency but if there isn't that agreement, certain legislation can be blocked," said Mrs Grant.
Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen has announced the time taken up by the discussion surrounding the Electoral Finance Bill has meant there was a possibility Parliament may sit as late as Tuesday next week.
The party bill law _ which bans the supply, manufacture and exporting of party pills containing BZP and makes it a Class C1 drug _ has enough support in Parliament to be passed, despite the opposition from the Greens.
The new law will carry a penalty of up to eight years' jail. Those found simply in possession of a Class C1 drug are normally liable to a maximum of three months imprisonment and/or up to a $500 fine.
But because pills containing BZP have been legally available for some years, the bill includes provision for an amnesty for possession of less than five grams for personal use. The amnesty will expire on June 17, 2008.
Tauranga party pill manufacturer Gary Read is obviously supportive of the delay but refused to comment on whether he had sold the 950,000 he claimed in July his company NZ Party Pills had recently manufactured.
Mr Read said he made a submission to the Select Committee opposing the bill. He claimed there were 52 submissions made in support of the bill and 12 against.
Mr Read said he was not currently manufacturing party pills but could do so again at short notice.
Mr Read is still supplying party pills to 270 retailers mostly in the North Island, 14 of which are in Tauranga, from existing stocks.
He said people were increasingly stock-piling the pills.
"We get that with the summer period anyway," he said.
NZ Party Pills also sells non-BZP party pills.
Tauranga retailer Aristocrat Adult Shop _ which sells between 20 and 30 types of party pills _ has cut back on its range since news of the ban broke but was pleased to hear sales could temporarily continue.
"It will be good, they'll (customers) probably just keep on buying them as they normally do, all the regulars will anyway," a staff member said.
With the proposed December 18 ban looming, a sign encouraging customers to take advantage of clearance prices on party pills hangs in the window of Mount Maunganui adult store Erox.
Store manager Trevor Gilmour was thrilled by the news sales could continue throughout the holidays.
http://www.bayofplentytimes.co.nz/localnews/storydisplay.cfm?storyid=3758134
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Russ, the link to mine is dead...
Its supposed to be.
Also, its moved down from 22, to number 28 on the order paper - Banderton must be stewing.
The Correct link is:
also heres some good quotes:
“It breeds disrespect for the law when - and usually we are talking about young people - end up with a conviction for doing something that most others around them are doing and it wipes their prospects.”
Helen Clark, 16 March 2000, Evening Post.
“You can’t have prohibition. The law is broken every minute of the day… We have to look at harm minimisation from a health perspective, and containment from a policing perspective.”
Health Minister Annette King, The Press, 23 June 2000.
"I don't want to frighten my colleagues too much, but the next challenge really is about drug policy. What I know is the current law in terms of drugs does exactly what the prostitution law has done until now, which is to drive people who are vulnerable anyway into more harm. So there has to be a better model."Tim Barnett, Weekend Herald 28-29 June 2003.
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Matt - beat me to it (excuse the pun)
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For those bitching about quick time try QT Lite, formally known as Quicktime Alternative without all the nasty bundled crap.
I installed it last nite to watch all the trailers in HD goodness on the 40" LCD :-)
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"Meanwhile, the protest organiser reportedly spent $50,000 to get 2,000 people. And the right calls people a "rent-a-mob"?"
He has spent $50k campaigning against the EFB, not $50k on the protest. Please get your facts right I/S.
This includes newspaper ads, radio etc. Most if not all did not refer to the protest at all.
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Yup, the one thing that annoyed me about Saturday's protest was Bob.
Having someone who pushes for either soft or state censorship of southpark, simpsons, californication, hell pizza and boobs on bikes as a mouthpiece for a free speech campaign sends mixed messages.
That said I still support the intent of the protest entirely.
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My brother was actually on one of those 'committees' that aportion the 'proceeds' to 'community groups' a few years back. He and his mates formed their own club, and sought funding for what was essentially a 3 day 'sports fishing trip' up North. Hired Boats and accommodation all to be paid for by the funds sought. But they were an officially registered club so they met the criteria for funding. And by 'fishing trip' I mean 'drinking binge'.
About 8-10 years ago we used said funds to purchase paintball gear. I really don't see the public good in that.
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Ok... so we convince a Minister to Ban water - no journos interested.
Blog gets filtered due to some IT Cock up...journos are interested.
Strange.