Prime Minister says there'll be no investigation into leak of details about cannabis referendum

May 6, 2019

Cabinet today thrashed out details of next year’s referendum on the drug.

Cabinet thrashed out the details of next year's cannabis referendum today, but held back on releasing it to the public until tomorrow. 

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said there would be an announcement by Justice Minister Andrew Little, "very, very shortly".

Today's discussions come after National yesterday leaked exerts of a Cabinet paper, which the party's drug reform spokesperson Paula Bennett said contained "huge holes". 

Ms Ardern said she would not be investigating the leak, but said she expected Cabinet and "all offices" to maintain confidentiality.

The Green Party labelled the leak as an outdated version, saying there was a guarantee from negotiations that there would be "detailed piece of legislation before the public".

Chlöe Swarbrick said the Green Party had long lobbied for legislation to be passed through the House prior to the 2020 referendum, "but at the same time we're working with two other parties".

However, Ms Swarbrick promised details would be made available prior to the vote, so New Zealanders are aware of "what kind of legalisation and referendum they are voting for".

"We are the closest we have ever been to a sensible regulated cannabis market in Aotearoa New Zealand," Ms Swarbrick said today.

National Party leader Simon Bridges said there should be the "maximum certainty and information so that people know what they're deciding on, and so it can be binding at the end of it". 

"You've got the Greens in one corner... you'll have Labour in the middle who aren't sure what they think and you've got NZ First on the other side who will be listening to the remnants of their voter base and will be quite concerned about this," he said. 

Another option would be for a draft bill to be introduced following the referendum, if New Zealanders were to vote in favour of legalising cannabis.

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