Candidates '05

Michael Appleby, Wellington Central electorate candidate

Michael is the ALCP Party Leader. A law lecturer and Wellington lawyer for 35 years, Michael has owned his own home for 28 years, and is a solo Dad with four daughters aged between 7 and 24 years.

Michael was on the local Liquor Licensing Trust for seven years, and preparing for cannabis regulation, until the Trust was disestablished last year due to the now-liberal laws relating to alcohol.

One of the longest-serving leaders of a political party in NZ, Michael still works with many of the original members since founding the ALCP in 1996. Michael believes it is fundamentally wrong for cannabis to be criminalised and subject to black market 'crime creating' forces, when 52% of the surveyed NZ population have used cannabis.

"All was going well with positive recommendations from two government Health Select Committees (1998 and 2000), that identified the current system was not working and recommended medicinal access as well as progressing the cannabis issue to the Justice and Electoral Committee.

"But after the 2002 elections, Labour agreed with United Future, that there would be no change to the legal status of cannabis in return for their support.

"Cannabis became the sole reason the Labour Party has been able to implement its agenda in the last 3 years, and has determined the composition of the present Government."
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