Tag: Michael Woodhouse

National has released its alternative medicinal cannabis bill, which it says will make cannabis medication products more widely available. But the real story of the day was a political one, with National blindsiding Labour, whose medicinal cannabis bill returned from select committee today. The bill puts pressure on the Government’s support parties, particularly the Greens, whose own medicinal cannabis bill brought by Chlöe Swarbrick was defeated in January. Bills mount up National’s bill is sponsored by Shane Reti, a doctor and the Deputy Chair of the Health select committee, which had been looking at the Government’s bill. Users would be issued with a Medicinal Cannabis Card, certifying them to buy medicinal cannabis products. In the House, Bridges accused the Government of not “doing the work” and said National’s detailed bill was evidence of a “Government in waiting”. Woodhouse said the Government members on the Health select committee were “ambivalent” about National’s proposals, while Bridges said the Government’s bill didn’t even have “the makings of a framework” to look at the regulations National members demanded. The Health Select Committee’s Chair, Labour’s Louisa Wall, said the introduction of a new bill on the day the select committee was to release its report undermined the integrity of the select committee process. Then, to pass its first reading, it would need the support of a minor party, likely the Greens or New Zealand First. Neither minor party would commit to supporting the bill on Wednesday, before they had read it.