Territory Stories

Ministerial Statement Kava Licensing Issues

Details:

Title

Ministerial Statement Kava Licensing Issues

Other title

Tabled paper 2012

Collection

Tabled Papers for 8th Assembly 1997 - 2001; Tabled Papers; ParliamentNT

Date

2000-08-09

Description

Tabled by Timothy Baldwin

Notes

Made available by the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory under Standing Order 240. Where copyright subsists with a third party it remains with the original owner and permission may be required to reuse the material.

Language

English

Subject

Tabled papers

File type

application/pdf

Use

Copyright

Copyright owner

See publication

License

https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00042

Parent handle

https://hdl.handle.net/10070/296004

Citation address

https://hdl.handle.net/10070/394254

Page content

11 The Commonwealths new regime presents the problem that it will be legal to bring in 2 kilograms of kava in a travellers personal luggage for personal use. When used normally and not abused, kava is part and parcel of a social gathering, and it was never the intention to target those sitting around consuming the kava mud and imposing on them harsh penalties. The real target was the traffickers and dealers - those who profit from peddling addiction. In such circumstances the availability of legal 2 kilogram parcels cast a shadow over a regime that would have imposed an on the spot fine for possession of small amounts of less than 200 grams, but would have delivered harsh penalties for those dealing in greater amounts. I am advised that we could have legislated in such a way as to accommodate the legal 2 kilogram packet, but the Government has decided that for a limited period we will delay specific legislative action and allow the Commonwealths action a chance to work. Madam Speaker, the NT Government has attempted to control kava in the past. Until 1994, the supply and sale of kava was restricted under section 30(3) of the Consumer Affairs and Fair Trading Act. However, from 1994, licences to sell kava were no longer issued, due to legal conflict when the Commonwealth listed kava as a prohibited botanical plant under the Food Standards Code.