Iain

LEES-GALLOWAY

Associate Health Spokesperson

23 May 2013 MEDIA STATEMENT
Dunne’s ‘rush’ a long time coming

It’s a bit rich for Peter Dunne to announce today that legislation to regulate legal highs should be ‘rushed’ through Parliament, Labour’s Associate Health spokesperson Iain Lees-Galloway says.

“Peter Dunne and the National-led Government could have passed the legislation long before now if they had made regulating the legal high industry a priority.

“The Law Commission presented the recommendations that eventually led to the Psychoactive Substances Bill more than two years ago.

“Even allowing time to craft the legislation appropriately, Mr Dunne could easily have introduced the bill 12 months ago.

“It could have been law by now. Our dairies would be drug-free and K2 would never have appeared.

“But instead of protecting young people and communities, National was focused on removing the human rights of people with disabilities, banning protesting and increasing the prevalence of problem gambling.

“The Government’s priorities are wrong. We needed swift action a year ago, not panic and haste now.

“Labour supports the bill and is encouraged by progress at select committee that we hope will strengthen it further.

“We do want to see it implemented as quickly as possible but Peter Dunne is dreaming if he thinks the speed of his response has been in any way adequate.”

ENDS

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