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Hemp Politics in Australia:

Hemp Bill Passes through Victorian Legislative Assembly!

Date: Tue Sep 16, 1997
Subject: Hemp Bill Passes through Victorian Legislative Assembly!
From: "Adrian Francis. K. Clarke" ahcl@ozemail.com.au
To: Matthew@HempWorld.com

Dear Matthijs,

On Tuesday the 16th September, as the First Bill of the Spring Session of Parliament, the House of Assembly of the Victorian State Parliament debated the Hemp Bill. It was called the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances (Amendment) Bill. The debate began at 3.35pm with the first MP’s speech of support and ended at 5.40pm with the Acting Speaker referring the Bill to the Legislative Council.

The formal Debate was not really a debate because the opposition was competing with the government in their fulsome support for the Bill. Speaker after speaker rose to add their endorsement for various aspects and possibilities the Bill created for their electorates and the state as a whole. City Representatives spoke of the downstream jobs the new industry could create. Country Representatives spoke of the revitalization of the Countryside with new local industries including the creation of Power Alcohol to drive trains and cars, paper mills, fiber and textile industries - even downstream value adding like fashion and clothing industries.

The extended time taken up to pass the Bill was due to the large number of Members of both the Liberal National Party Government and the Labor Opposition who wished to speak in support of the Bill. The opposition wanted to be seen to support such a ³Green² bill and encourage the government in Environmentally sound directions.

They all spoke of the PROMISE which can only be delivered with the development of new Technology to process it.

The Legislative Assembly is the controlling House of our Government and the Bill’s Introduction by the Deputy Premier and subsequent passage through that House, supported by both sides of politics, is the start of a formal process through to the Signing into Law by the State Governor (Queen’s Representative) in Council. Now there is only the formal process of our system to be worked through.

The Bill must now pass through the Legislative Council (Upper House) which is a house of review. The Government holds a massive majority in that house also. However since the Opposition is so strongly supporting the Bill, it is expected to pass through that house in the same way as it did through the Assembly. That step is expected to be completed on the first day of sitting of that Chamber; the 7th. October, 1997.

The Fees Committee will work quickly to establish the fee for the farmers’ growing permit (expected to be about $500) and the Public Servants will work out the simplest effective regulation framework they can. With the best will in the world these processes take time and are expected to be completed by Christmas or early in the new year. Then commercial low THC Industrial Hemp Crops will be grown in Victoria and the fiber and hurd products will be sold to the marketplace just like any other farm produce.

Hemp Laws Introduced in Victoria, Australia
April 24, 1997 Press Release from the Office of the Minister of Agriculture and Resources

Legislation has been introduced into State Parliament to allow the commercial production of hemp in Victoria. “The Drugs, Poisons, and Controlled Substances (Amendment) Bill” would remove disincentives to investment in the processing of industrial hemp and provided a regulatory framework for future commercial production of non-drug varieties of industrial hemp.

The legislative amendment followed successful field research programs where hemp varieties containing 0.35% THC were trialed in Victoria at seven sites in 1995/6 and in six sites this financial year.

“The trial results indicated that industrial hemp could be an economically viable enterprise in some irrigated and high rainfall areas of Victoria if local processing capacity is developed.”

While the new Bill would boost opportunities for industrial hemp use and provide a highly regulated framework for future commercial production, it did not jeopardize the ability to effectively enforce existing drug laws. “Under the ‘The Drugs Poisons, and Controlled Substances (Amendment) Bill’ a person will be able to apply to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment for an authority to cultivate and process low-THC cannabis.

Applicants will be required to prove they intend to undertake bona fide research or commercial activity related to non-therapeutic use of cannabis and commercial production will also be limited to those who can demonstrate they have a market for the crop to be produced.” The Bill does not allow an authority to be issued to a applicant if they had been found guilty of a serious offense within the previous 10 years.

The applicant will also have to show their property is suitable for the cultivation and production of cannabis or cannabis seed in relation to location, facilities and proposed security arrangements. Authorities will be assured for up to three years and will be kept in check through government inspectors who will have powers to determine whether plants, crops, or products are being kept in accordance with the Act.

The Bill also exempts processed products such as fiber or paper made from cannabis or cannabis seed products which do not pose a drug risk. It was stated that there are currently limited prospects for commercial production of industrial hemp for fiber. This is because primary processing facilities needed to convert harvested stem material into pulp or fiber suitable for paper or fabric manufacture were not yet established in Australia.

“Several syndicates are now investigating new processing technology and market opportunities for processed products made from whole plant fiber and seed.” The financial viability of particular venture was impossible to see at this stage although the State Government recognized private investment in processing and market development would be inhibited unless investors had confidence that production of commercial quantities of hemp can be authorized.

The amendments to “The Drugs, Poisons, and Controlled Substances (Amendment) Bill” gives Victoria farmers an opportunity to develop a profitable hemp enterprise or value adding opportunities for hemp fiber and to manufacture products in a regulated framework.

Australian Hemp Industries Association Newsletter:


Compiled by : S. Stevens, Secretary Australian Hemp Industries Association.

Hemp Industry Status:

Australia was founded in 1770 by Capt. James Cook and Sir Joseph Banks with the idea of settling and developing a New World hemp Colony. The Colony was to be worked by convicts so as to supply mother England’s Navy and to supplement its dwindling Hemp supplies.
Australia was seen as the ideal place to grow, with fertile land stretching as far as the eye can see and a climate suited to year round growing.
How things have changed in 200 years. In this short period of time Australia has destroyed 60% of its old growth forests, the majority going to Woodchip for paper production. In 1996 Japan bought 80% of this woodchip and then sold it back to Australia as paper, at 10 TIMES the price! With that in mind the Logging and Woodchip situation has reached Crisis Point.
With the World-wide revival of hemp as a viable alternative cash crop, Australia has taken great interest in its recent resurgence.
The Australian Hemp Industries Association was formed in 1994 to feed the need for information on all aspects of growing commercial hemp.
Since its inception the Association has made great inroads in the development of Local industry, distribution to farmers, assistance in the development of a revolutionary fiber technology and the constant lobbying for legislative change in government policy.
The first license to grow an experimental crop was granted in 1991 to the University of Tasmania. Although this crop was only the size of a tennis court and only small amounts of the end product have been produced, it has paved the way for the expansion of trial crops in other parts of Mainland Australia. These trials have continued in Tasmania and since then 7 out of 8 States are growing various size trial crops.
Although trials have begun in most States, the only Government assistance offered to the Farmers is permission to grow. All financial costs have to be met by the grower. From the 1997 trials it is hoped that locally produced Hemp Seed Oil will be available.
However Mr. Grant Steggles of Australian Hemp Products has advised us that should any of the growers be willing to grow for seed, his company would be willing to purchase all the seed that has been produced.
Local Industry has embraced Hemp with open arms, and we are now weaving high quality blends and 100% hemp fabrics here in Australia also the building industry is showing great interest in Particle Board and Hemp Masonite.
There is already a large number of Hemp products in Australia with the number of retailers growing from only a handful in early 1994 to hundreds in 1997.There is also a vast range of locally produced product flowing through to retail outlets.
Greenpeace Australia first launched its Hemp products range in mid 1995 with an overwhelming response from its members. These products have grown to become No.1 on their Members Xmas shopping list. Through Greenpeace`s involvement with the Australian Hemp Industry, they have been successful in bringing about major changes with the planning committee for the year 2000 Olympic Games. These Olympics have been tagged the "Green Games" with all areas from construction of Olympic venues through to what the Athletes will Wear as being environmentally friendly.
Hemp is planned to play a major part in this great event.
With Australia being first in line of the depletion of the Ozone Layer, environmentally solutions such as hemp are high on Political Agenda. With that in mind the future for hemp in Australia looks bright and green. Hopefully with the help of HEMP our country’s ecological and economic future will have a better track record than in the past.

Hemp: Potential Pot Of Gold For Hunter
The potential for a Hemp pulping mill in the Hunter is being investigated after the State Governments approval of further Hemp trials in NSW.

The Hunter is among four locations in NSW where major trials of low THC (tetra-hydrocannabinol) Hemp are being conducted.

While locations remain confidential , the current trials were sown in late 1996 in the upper Hunter Valley, Murray Valley and Southern Tablelands regions.

Extract from the Newcastle Herald Front page dated 8th February 1997:

Minister calls for legal Cannabis

Federal Health Minister Michael Wooldridge yesterday called for Marijuana to be decriminalized , while backing a ban on the designer Drug Fantasy. Mr. Wooldridge said he would support any State or Territory Minister who wanted to decriminalize Marijuana. But he ruled out Federal intervention on the issue, saying it was a decision for the States. The Commonwealth can provide a leadership role but States and Territories are the ones in the end that make the laws in relation to Drug usage in Australia.

People have a variety of views on it. My view is that what has happened in South Australia and the ACT by and large has worked and hasn’t led to increased drug use in Australia.

Extract from Daily Telegraph Dated October 11th 1996:

Facts About Hemp

Hemp can produce Four times as much fiber Per Hectare than Cotton and Synthetics.

Hemp fiber is Stronger, More Durable and Warmer than Cotton. It is also More Absorbent than Cotton and has Three Times the Tensile Strength.

Hemp fiber is Salt Resistant. Channels that run through each fiber allow the fabric to wick away Moisture very effectively, Ramie and Linen fabrics also exhibit these properties but Hemp outlasts both materials in Breaking Strength and Abrasive Resistance Tests.

High temperatures do no phase Hemp, tests indicate that the Hemp fiber remains unchanged at up to 700 degrees Fahrenheit, at which point carbonization begins.

Hemp fabric can be considered for application where intense temperature or UV resistant characteristics are required, such as Blast Furnace work, Awnings, Tents, Clothing and Welding Curtains.

Documentation published by the Chinese Academy Of Science states that Hemp fabrics Blocks UV Rays better than any other Industrial Fabric.

For Hundreds of years Italy made the finest Linens and Cloths from Hemp.

The Word Canvas Comes From CANNABIS!

Australia is growing hemp for research purposes in several states. Their results have been discouraging, in part because they are using Northern Hemisphere seed cultivars from France. Seed cultivars from India and Chile will be analyzed to determine it they can be adapted for use in Australia. (see John Dvorak article)

*Industrial-Hemp has no psychoactive properties following definition of the European Economic Community (EEC); THC content is less than 0.3%. In general, low THC-seed varieties without psychoactive properties are those that have a THC content of less than 1%. (See also No-THC Hemp-seed.) THC= Delta-9 TetraHydroCannabinol.

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