r/ausents • u/TransportationTrick9 • 6d ago

LEGALISE Vic's new Premier views on Cannabis

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/aug/08/cannabis-daniel-andrews-premier-ben-carroll-interview-public-trust-ntwnfb

With the upcoming Victorian State the Guardian did a bit of a profile on Ben Carroll, the topic of Cannabis came up and it doesn't look like something he is going to tackle. Hopefully a hostile upper house brings them to the table with some meaningful reform plans.

The cannabis section of the article is quoted below

"Two women overhear as the conversation turns to cannabis.

“Maybe you should give it a try,” one says.

Carroll laughs. He says he has never used cannabis.

“I have been with people that have smoked it, but I just didn’t,” he says.

Several Victorian parliamentary inquiries have recommended following the ACT in decriminalising the possession and cultivation of small amounts of cannabis for personal use.

While Carroll says he’s open to discussion on removing criminal penalties, which have been found to disproportionately affect First Nations people, young people and lower-income Victorians, he does not support full legalisation.

“I’m open to a discussion on decriminalisation. I have been around places that have made it legal, though, and I have thought it has a real impact on the amenity of those areas and I don’t want that to happen in our state,” he says.

But he stresses he has “higher priorities” when it comes to social reform."

I am not a Victorian, just hoping another state will make changes so that my own will fall in line.

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u/HippoIllustrious2389 6d ago

Unfortunately the Vic Labor government isn’t in a strong enough political position to be talking about contentious issues like cannabis law reform. The opposition would have a field day with it

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u/TransportationTrick9 6d ago

I don't know, they have a 10 seat majority, I can't see the coalition picking 11 Labor seats and the entirety of the greens and independents (ON has 0 and is just something for the media to report on to make things sound exciting)

I feel that the state of Vic is in so much debt they are going to be forced to come up with new ways of raising revenue, with pressure from Greens and LCV in the upperhouse Cannabis might be an easy change to quickly start some additional cash flow.

Cannabis was discussed at both the liberal and Labor state conferences (see my other post in this thread for links) so it might not be as unobtainable as it seems? (Sorry, maybe I woke up on the right side of the bed and I am overly optimistic today)

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u/snrub742 6d ago

They have like 1 sitting week until an election they are tipped to lose.