Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party
Encyclopedia
The Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party (sometimes known as the ALCP) is a political party
in New Zealand
. It is dedicated to removing or reducing restrictions on the use of cannabis
and similar substances. Under New Zealand's Misuse of Drugs Act 1975, cannabis is currently classed (depending on product / substance) as either a Class B drug ("Very high risk of harm") or a Class C drug ("moderate risk of harm").
but its support was declining until the party made a resurgence in 2008, almost doubling its vote. In the 1999 election
it won 1.10% of the vote, in the 2002 election
0.64%, in the 2005 election
0.23%, and in the 2008 election
0.41%. One Green MP Metiria Turei
and former Green MP Nandor Tanczos
were ALCP candidates in 1996. The party's leader is Michael Appleby
. The party contested the by-election in Te Tai Hauauru
in mid 2004 — with their candidate, Dun Mihaka
finishing second behind Maori Party Leader Tariana Turia
, receiving 197 votes (2.52%).
The ALCP mounted an aggressive campaign for the 2008 general election
, with several high profile candidates including Steven Wilkinson (West Coast/Tasman) and Julian Crawford (Dunedin
North). Crawford invited Dunedin South MP David Benson-Pope
to join the ALCP, but he declined, saying "Their judgement has obviously been impaired by their recreational habits".
In the 2008 New Zealand general election they secured themselves 9515 votes, 0.41% of total party votes cast. This was more than Taito Philip Field's New Zealand Pacific Party
, The Family Party, Libertarianz
or the Alliance
, but less than the Bill and Ben Party
.
stood for the ALCP in the Mount Albert by-election
on 13 June 2009. He came sixth in the seat, outpolled by Labour, National, the Greens and ACT, as well as the Bill and Ben Party
co-leader, Ben Boyce (151 votes). Green polled 92 votes, which meant that he just outpolled The Kiwi Party's Simmone Dyer (91 votes). Green also outpolled United Future New Zealand's Judy Turner
(89 votes) and Libertarianz
's Julian Pistorius (35 votes).
and ACT. However, Crawford only trailed ACT candidate Colin Du Plessis by twenty four votes (136-112) when the official results were announced. The ALCP outpolled Libertarianz
and the Alliance
candidates, however, who came seventh and eighth, respectively.
, Maki Herbert stood for the ALCP. She came fourth in the seat, outpolled by Mana Party leader Hone Harawira
, Labour List MP Kelvin Davis
and Maori Party candidate Tipene Solomon. Herbert outpolled Kelvyn Alp, formerly of the Direct Democracy Party.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. It is dedicated to removing or reducing restrictions on the use of cannabis
Cannabis (drug)
Cannabis, also known as marijuana among many other names, refers to any number of preparations of the Cannabis plant intended for use as a psychoactive drug or for medicinal purposes. The English term marijuana comes from the Mexican Spanish word marihuana...
and similar substances. Under New Zealand's Misuse of Drugs Act 1975, cannabis is currently classed (depending on product / substance) as either a Class B drug ("Very high risk of harm") or a Class C drug ("moderate risk of harm").
History
The ALCP was founded in 1996. It has never won representation in Parliament. It won 1.66% of the vote in the 1996 electionNew Zealand general election, 1996
The 1996 New Zealand general election was held on 12 October 1996 to determine the composition of the 45th New Zealand Parliament. It was notable for being the first election to be held under the new Mixed Member Proportional electoral system, and produced a parliament considerably more diverse...
but its support was declining until the party made a resurgence in 2008, almost doubling its vote. In the 1999 election
New Zealand general election, 1999
The 1999 New Zealand general election was held on 27 November 1999 to determine the composition of the 46th New Zealand Parliament. The governing National Party, led by Prime Minister Jenny Shipley, was defeated, being replaced by a coalition of Helen Clark's Labour Party and the smaller Alliance...
it won 1.10% of the vote, in the 2002 election
New Zealand general election, 2002
The 2002 New Zealand general election was held on 27 July 2002 to determine the composition of the 47th New Zealand Parliament. It saw the reelection of Helen Clark's Labour Party government, as well as the worst-ever performance by the opposition National Party.Arguably the most controversial...
0.64%, in the 2005 election
New Zealand general election, 2005
The 2005 New Zealand general election held on 17 September 2005 determined the composition of the 48th New Zealand Parliament. No party won a majority in the unicameral House of Representatives, but the Labour Party of Prime Minister Helen Clark secured two more seats than nearest rival, the...
0.23%, and in the 2008 election
New Zealand general election, 2008
The 2008 New Zealand general election was held on 8 November 2008 to determine the composition of the 49th New Zealand parliament. The conservative National Party, headed by its Parliamentary leader John Key, won a plurality of votes and seats, ending 9 years of government dominated by the social...
0.41%. One Green MP Metiria Turei
Metiria Turei
Metiria Leanne Agnes Stanton Turei is a New Zealand member of Parliament and the female co-leader of the Green Party. she is the Green Party spokesperson on Social Equity, Electoral Reform, Māori and Treaty Issues, Housing and Children....
and former Green MP Nandor Tanczos
Nandor Tanczos
Nándor Steven Tánczos , a member of the New Zealand Parliament from 1999 to 2008, represented the Green Party as a list MP. He briefly lost his seat in the 2005 General Election, but returned to Parliament following the sudden death of Rod Donald just prior to the first sitting of Parliament, as he...
were ALCP candidates in 1996. The party's leader is Michael Appleby
Michael Appleby (New Zealand)
Michael Appleby is the leader of the small Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party, a political party in New Zealand dedicated to the relaxation or repeal of laws against the use of cannabis. Appleby also stands as his party's candidate in the Wellington Central electorate, coming fifth in the 2008 election...
. The party contested the by-election in Te Tai Hauauru
Te Tai Hauauru by-election 2004
The Te Tai Hauauru by-election was a by-election in the New Zealand electorate of Te Tai Hauāuru, one of the Māori seats. The date set for the by-election was 10 July 2004...
in mid 2004 — with their candidate, Dun Mihaka
Dun Mihaka
Te Ringa Mangu Nathan Mihaka or Dun Mihaka is a Māori activist, author, and political candidate in New Zealand.Mihaka has been involved in a number of campaigns regarding Māori rights, and was involved in the Bastion Point land dispute...
finishing second behind Maori Party Leader Tariana Turia
Tariana Turia
Tariana Turia is a New Zealand politician. She gained considerable prominence during the foreshore and seabed controversy, and eventually broke with her party as a result...
, receiving 197 votes (2.52%).
The ALCP mounted an aggressive campaign for the 2008 general election
New Zealand general election, 2008
The 2008 New Zealand general election was held on 8 November 2008 to determine the composition of the 49th New Zealand parliament. The conservative National Party, headed by its Parliamentary leader John Key, won a plurality of votes and seats, ending 9 years of government dominated by the social...
, with several high profile candidates including Steven Wilkinson (West Coast/Tasman) and Julian Crawford (Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
North). Crawford invited Dunedin South MP David Benson-Pope
David Benson-Pope
David Henry Benson-Pope is a New Zealand Labour Party politician who sat in the Parliament of New Zealand from 1999 to 2008. He formerly served as a cabinet minister....
to join the ALCP, but he declined, saying "Their judgement has obviously been impaired by their recreational habits".
In the 2008 New Zealand general election they secured themselves 9515 votes, 0.41% of total party votes cast. This was more than Taito Philip Field's New Zealand Pacific Party
New Zealand Pacific Party
The New Zealand Pacific Party was a Christian political party that existed in New Zealand from 2008 to 2010. The party was founded as a vehicle for former Labour MP Taito Phillip Field, who was subsequently convicted for bribery and corruption...
, The Family Party, Libertarianz
Libertarianz
Libertarianz is a political party in New Zealand that advocates libertarianism, favouring self-government and limiting the power of the government over the individual. Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism is a major influence on the party...
or the Alliance
Alliance (New Zealand political party)
The Alliance is a left-wing political party in New Zealand. It was formed in 1991, and was influential in the 1990s, but has since declined and has no representation in parliament. It suffered a major setback after Jim Anderton, the party's leader, left the party in 2002, taking several of the...
, but less than the Bill and Ben Party
Bill and Ben Party
The Bill and Ben Party was a New Zealand joke political party formed in 2008 and voluntarily deregistered in 2010. The party's leaders were Jamie Linehan and Ben Boyce of the TV3 satirical sports show Pulp Sport...
.
2009 Mount Albert by-election
Dakta GreenDakta Green
Dakta Green, formerly Ken Morgan is a New Zealand cannabis law reform activist and political candidate. He changed his name by deed poll in 2008. He is the Waitakere regional co-ordinator for NORML New Zealand, the driver of Mary Jane the Cannabus, and founder of The Daktory...
stood for the ALCP in the Mount Albert by-election
Mount Albert by-election, 2009
A by-election was held in the New Zealand electorate of Mount Albert on 13 June 2009. There were fifteen candidates in the election. David Shearer of the Labour Party won the election with 63% of the vote...
on 13 June 2009. He came sixth in the seat, outpolled by Labour, National, the Greens and ACT, as well as the Bill and Ben Party
Bill and Ben Party
The Bill and Ben Party was a New Zealand joke political party formed in 2008 and voluntarily deregistered in 2010. The party's leaders were Jamie Linehan and Ben Boyce of the TV3 satirical sports show Pulp Sport...
co-leader, Ben Boyce (151 votes). Green polled 92 votes, which meant that he just outpolled The Kiwi Party's Simmone Dyer (91 votes). Green also outpolled United Future New Zealand's Judy Turner
Judy Turner
Judy Turner is a New Zealand politician who is the deputy leader of United Future New Zealand. She was a member of the New Zealand House of Representatives from 2002 to 2008 as a list MP.-Member of Parliament:...
(89 votes) and Libertarianz
Libertarianz
Libertarianz is a political party in New Zealand that advocates libertarianism, favouring self-government and limiting the power of the government over the individual. Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism is a major influence on the party...
's Julian Pistorius (35 votes).
2010 Mana by-election
In the Mana by-election, Julian Crawford stood for the ALCP. He came sixth in the seat, outpolled by Labour, National, the Greens, Independent candidate and trade unionist Matt McCartenMatt McCarten
Matthew "Matt" McCarten is a New Zealand political organiser. He has been involved with several leftist or centre-left political parties, and is also active in the trade-union movement...
and ACT. However, Crawford only trailed ACT candidate Colin Du Plessis by twenty four votes (136-112) when the official results were announced. The ALCP outpolled Libertarianz
Libertarianz
Libertarianz is a political party in New Zealand that advocates libertarianism, favouring self-government and limiting the power of the government over the individual. Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism is a major influence on the party...
and the Alliance
Alliance
An alliance is an agreement or friendship between two or more parties, made in order to advance common goals and to secure common interests.See also military alliance and business alliance.-International relations:...
candidates, however, who came seventh and eighth, respectively.
2011 Te Tai Tokerau by-election
In the Te Tai Tokerau by-election, 2011Te Tai Tokerau by-election, 2011
The 2011 Te Tai Tokerau by-election was a by-election in the New Zealand electorate of Te Tai Tokerau that was caused by Hone Harawira's resignation from the seat. He chose to re-contest it with the Mana Party in order to seek a new mandate for his views...
, Maki Herbert stood for the ALCP. She came fourth in the seat, outpolled by Mana Party leader Hone Harawira
Hone Harawira
Hone Pani Tamati Waka Nene Harawira is a New Zealand Māori activist and parliamentarian. He was elected to the Parliament of New Zealand for the Māori electorate of Te Tai Tokerau in the 2005 general election as the Māori Party candidate. His resignation caused the Te Tai Tokerau by-election, held...
, Labour List MP Kelvin Davis
Kelvin Davis
Kelvin Geoffrey Davis is an English footballer who currently plays as a goalkeeper for newly-promoted Championship club Southampton. Born in Bedford, Davis began his career with Luton Town as a youth player in 1991 and remained there until 1999. Davis later played for Wimbledon, Ipswich Town and...
and Maori Party candidate Tipene Solomon. Herbert outpolled Kelvyn Alp, formerly of the Direct Democracy Party.
Electoral results (1996-2011)
| Election | # of candidates nominated (electorate/list) | # of seats won | # of party votes | % of popular vote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 New Zealand general election, 1996 The 1996 New Zealand general election was held on 12 October 1996 to determine the composition of the 45th New Zealand Parliament. It was notable for being the first election to be held under the new Mixed Member Proportional electoral system, and produced a parliament considerably more diverse... |
|
|
|
|
| 1999 New Zealand general election, 1999 The 1999 New Zealand general election was held on 27 November 1999 to determine the composition of the 46th New Zealand Parliament. The governing National Party, led by Prime Minister Jenny Shipley, was defeated, being replaced by a coalition of Helen Clark's Labour Party and the smaller Alliance... |
|
|
|
|
| 2002 New Zealand general election, 2002 The 2002 New Zealand general election was held on 27 July 2002 to determine the composition of the 47th New Zealand Parliament. It saw the reelection of Helen Clark's Labour Party government, as well as the worst-ever performance by the opposition National Party.Arguably the most controversial... |
|
|
|
|
| 2005 New Zealand general election, 2005 The 2005 New Zealand general election held on 17 September 2005 determined the composition of the 48th New Zealand Parliament. No party won a majority in the unicameral House of Representatives, but the Labour Party of Prime Minister Helen Clark secured two more seats than nearest rival, the... |
|
|
|
|
| 2008 New Zealand general election, 2008 The 2008 New Zealand general election was held on 8 November 2008 to determine the composition of the 49th New Zealand parliament. The conservative National Party, headed by its Parliamentary leader John Key, won a plurality of votes and seats, ending 9 years of government dominated by the social... |
|
|
|
|
| 2011 New Zealand general election, 2011 The 2011 New Zealand general election on Saturday 26 November 2011 determined the membership of the 50th New Zealand Parliament.One hundred and twenty-one MPs were elected to the New Zealand House of Representatives, 70 from single-member electorates, including one overhang seat, and 51 from party... |
|
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|
|
See also
- Cannabis in New ZealandCannabis in New ZealandCannabis is the most widely used illegal drug in New Zealand. In the population of more than 4-million, 13.4% of those between the ages of 16-64 use cannabis. This ranks as the ninth highest marijuana consumption level in the world. The use of cannabis in New Zealand is governed by the Misuse of...
- Legal issues of cannabisLegal issues of cannabisThe legality of cannabis has been the subject of debate and controversy for decades. Cannabis is illegal to consume, use, possess, cultivate, transfer or trade in most countries...
- Marijuana parties