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NZ politicians 'drunk in charge of country' - Greens MP Source: AP
Published: Thursday February 17, 1:01 PM

Wellington: Politicians have been accused of being 'drunk in charge of a country' by a Green Party lawmaker who champions marijuana law reform and admits to smoking the drug for religious purposes.

Newly elected member of parliament Nandor Tanzcos, a Rastafarian with waist-length dreadlocks who is the Greens' law and order spokesman, told parliament yesterday it was time to legalise personal use of the drug.

Young people would not respect the law when they were subjected to random police searches for cannabis on the streets, he said.

'At the same time, some members of this House have a reputation for excessive alcohol consumption,' he said.

'In my short time in this house I've seen people in this house drunk - drunk in charge of a country,' he said.

People aged 18 and over should be allowed to grow and possess cannabis, said Tanzcos, who was elected in November's general election.

'Everyone in this country who wants to smoke cannabis already does so,' he added.

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Comment:
Our OZ cricket team plays NZ today in a one-day international. Rain delayed play. It always does in NZ.

Regards from Down Under

-- Pieter (zaadz@icisp.net.au), February 17, 2000

Answers

PS - nobody noticed...

-- Pieter (zaadz@icisp.net.au), February 17, 2000.

Down Under culture echoes around the world, just like the colonel with the walking cane doing the Kentucky Fried Chicken advertisements' jiggity jigs and slamming the round hatch shut with a resounding 'Grand Canyon' echo during our national game of cricket broadcasts this last summer. Somewhere in between all the American advertisements we did find some cricket to enjoy, but the commentary was by an Indian and a Pakistani with a South African in swashbuckling support. Incomprehensible.

Australian comment was lost in mumbled iniquities, once more proving to us the success of our public schooling. We enjoyed it very much. It's hilarious, but that bloody colonel echoed much too freguently. I'm now resolved to never again purchase any chicken cooped-up stuff from those Yankee red-n-white striped chicken coop fast food outlets.

Go, Aussie. Go! Bugger them Kiwis!!!

-- Pieter (zaadz@icisp.net.au), February 17, 2000.

I would answer your charge, but I've been too busy trying to get New Zealand's average beer consumption up to match Australia's. :-)

-- Malcolm Taylor (taylorm@es.co.nz), February 17, 2000.

I'm impressed that NZ has a rastafarian MP, although it does reinforce some of my preconceived notions about "The Land of the Long White Cloud." Maybe this guy should play for NZ's cricket team? They could surely use a bit of Carribbean flair. The Australian team will undoubtedly massacre NZ anyhow, the sheepies might as well blood some new guys.

-- number six (roll_another_number@hotmail.com), February 17, 2000.

Shucks! Match abandoned to primordial deluge. These Kiwis will stoop to staggering heights to delay their drubbing...,more time for applying the elbow, eh?

Your shout, Malcolm.

-- Pieter (zaadz@icisp.net.au), February 17, 2000.