The Final Proof - Colin Barnett is a Dickhead

After months of threatening us that he will prove without doubt that he is a dickhead, WA Premier Colin Barnett has finally done it. Yes, Colin Barnett is now officially a first class, top notch dickhead. While we all secretly knew it as he continued with his promise to wind back the successful drug strategies of the previous government, we can now be safe in the knowledge that Barnett is indeed, a dickhead. But let’s not mince words here. Barnett is more than a dickhead, he’s a bumbling, self righteous, agenda driven, fat fuckwit.

Mr Barnett said he knew he would be accused of breaching civil liberties but it was a small price to pay if people felt safer.
-The Australian

At yesterday's state Liberal conference, Barnett gave a rousing speech that had fellow Libs frothing at the mouth. His “Tough on Crime” election promise was finally being given the go ahead with the introduction of several new “tough” laws “in a bid to reclaim the streets from thugs”. The problem is that in his haste to be “tough” on thugs, street crime and violence, he has forgotten to tell us that it is really about cannabis. His sweeping statements about weapons and violence were intermingled with the supposed danger of cannabis. But the real reason for bringing the new stop and search laws is not about thugs and weapons but catching drug users. Imagine if he announced that WA is enacting the toughest stop and search laws in Australia to catch pot smokers?

The cannabis of today is not the cannabis of the 60s or 70s. It is far stronger, it is harmful.
-WA Premier Colin Barnett 

All the rhetoric in the world doesn’t change the fact that the effects of cannabis cause no violence on the streets, street crime nor does it make thugs out of people. That honour goes to alcohol. But this isn’t about the facts associated with cannabis use. It’s about his personal views and ideology, his political position and his inability to separate fact and fiction. For dickheads like Barnett, the real world is broken and only a conservative utopia will save mankind from moral collapse. Most of societies problems are because of drugs and a lack of “family values”. Violence, corruption and ecological carnage is secondary.

He (Colin Barnett) accused the former government of trying to con the community into believing cannabis was harmless, when it was ruining lives
-The Australian

Ironically, under the current drug policy introduced by the previous government, cannabis use is declining and less people are unnecessarily given a criminal record. What is the government trying to achieve by changing the drug laws? This has never been answered by the Barnett government but instead replaced with the usual anti-drug rhetoric we have become accustomed to over the last 4 decades. It also comes at a time when the world trend of many countries is to follow science and evidence by decriminalising or considering the legalisation of cannabis. Arguments against cannabis have been greatly diminished in the last 12 months with research showing that links to mental health problems are non existent for those without pre-existing conditions. And like the Gateway Theory, claims of today’s cannabis being 10-20 times as potent have been debunked. Even that old myth that cannabis makes users lazy and unmotivated has been disproved. The real crunch is that the legal drug alcohol is much, much more harmful and dangerous than cannabis.

We will act on that small minority that destroy the quality of life and the amenity of this great state for the silent majority.
-WA Premier Colin Barnett 

So, what is Barnett and his band of merry men going to achieve by being tough on crime? Under all the hype, there is officially only one non-drug related new law - being able to search people without a reason. But we know the real agenda for this. The “tough on crime” speech was really about cannabis. Barnett has proved how far he will go to push his misguided views onto the public. But this is not just about some fat, over paid dickhead putting in place silly laws but the serious, real world consequences of his actions. Banning drug paraphernalia will lead to some serious problems for drug users. Having access to properly made crack pipes stop the spread of blood born disease like HIV/AIDS and Hep C. Purchasing a bong will stop users making their own which can give off dangerous fumes from plastic containers. To be blunt, not having these products kill people. Lowering the amount of cannabis that someone can carry will drive up the rate of convictions. Again, normal, responsible adults are facing jail or a criminal record. The previous limit of 30 grams covered those who bought the common amount of an ounce or half an ounce. Now, half an ounce will put them just 4 grams above the legal limit. This of course means that a cannabis user has to visit an illegal dealer more often and this leaves them more vulnerable to being caught. Even with the 10 year limit on your criminal record for minor drug charges being dropped to 3 years, the new laws still increase the risk of being labelled a criminal. Those caught with less than the new 10 gram threshold are forced into treatment whether they need it or not. This is an old trick used in the US to give anti-cannabis groups a rubbery statistic to further their cause. For example, the latest claim from anti-drug warriors in the US is that cannabis is much more harmful than it used to be. Their evidence - most of those in treatment are now in for cannabis abuse but years ago hardly anyone came in for cannabis issues alone. What they don’t tell us is that 99% of those in treatment for cannabis abuse are involuntary patients. Yep, forced in there by the courts, family interventions and work related issues. Watch this issue arise soon in Australia.

I once asked if dickheads grow on trees in WA. We all know the answer but the trees that produce these dickheads appear to be a certain type ... politician trees. I am noticing that these trees are not just native to WA but are found all over Australia. They must just bloom early in WA.

Police Empowered For West's Drug War
The Australian
By Amanda O'Brien
October 2009


WEST Australian police will have the nation's toughest powers to stop and search people under a plan, unveiled yesterday, which removes the need for them to show any grounds for suspecting an offence.

Premier Colin Barnett said it was intolerable that people caught with weapons or drugs were being let off in court because police could not establish that there were sufficient grounds to search them.

He said legislation would be introduced within weeks to allow anyone to be stopped and searched without reason in a bid to reclaim the streets from thugs.

To thunderous applause at yesterday's state Liberal conference, Australia's only Liberal Premier said law and order was a defining issue at the September 2008 election.

"I make no apologies," he said. "We will act on that small minority that destroy the quality of life and the amenity of this great state for the silent majority."

Mr Barnett said he knew he would be accused of breaching civil liberties but it was a small price to pay if people felt safer.

He thrilled delegates by promising to also introduce legislation within days to throw out the former Labor government's contentious 2003 drug laws, which allow people to grow two cannabis plants per household without criminal charge.

He said it was a ridiculous law and any cultivation would be an offence in future.

The amount of cannabis triggering prosecution for possession would also be slashed from 30g to 10g, and selling paraphernalia such as bongs and pipes would become illegal. "It is absolutely disgraceful that, under Labor's approach, we have lottery kiosks selling bongs in Western Australia. Not any more."

He said the community had shown at the election it wanted strong laws.

The police commissioner would designate particular areas as "stop and search" zones, and the public would know where they were. Entertainment areas such as Northbridge in Perth and Fremantle were priorities.

"Police will have the right to go up to anyone they wish to and introduce a stop and search power," Mr Barnett said.

"It will not be an invasive search; it will be comparable to the sort of search and screening that takes place for any citizen getting on an aeroplane.

"We will reclaim Northbridge and other areas of entertainment and hospitality for law-abiding young people, for women to go there alone, for families and older citizens."

He said Labor had failed on law and order, and he accused the former government of trying to con the community into believing cannabis was harmless, when it was ruining lives.

"The cannabis of today is not the cannabis of the 60s or 70s. It is far stronger, it is harmful," he said.

Under the new laws, anyone found with more than 10g of cannabis, enough for 10 to 20 joints, would face a criminal conviction. Anyone with less than 10g would be forced to attend counselling.

In his only concession, the Premier said criminal records for minor drug offences would be expunged after three years, rather than 10, if no further offences were committed.

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