Australia - Greens tone down policies

[Lunar Loops]

This from The Herald Sun (Aus):

Greens tone down policies

Ben Packham
April 13, 2007 12:00am

THE Greens have toned down their policy agenda in a major revamp before the federal election.
Gone are calls for the regulated supply of "social drugs" such as ecstasy and the "controlled availability" of cannabis.
The party has also dropped its push for a drastic increase in bicycle use and the increased planting of lentils and hardy shrubs.
But the Greens still want a trial of prescribed heroin for registered users and the decriminalisation of all personal drug use.
The party also wants to start phasing out $24 billion of coal exports within three years, an idea that has been described as a recipe for economic disaster.
The Greens' policies, which prompted criticism at the last federal poll, have been completely rewritten in recent weeks and given the green light by party members.
The changes come as the Greens become increasingly marginalised by the two major parties on their core issue of the environment.
Party leader Senator Bob Brown said the drugs policies had been overhauled after much consideration.
"The Greens, since the last election, have been out to speak to experts in the field," he said. "We went to a number of experts working in the area of drug policy . . . and our policies reflect that wide consultation we've had."
Senator Brown said the party was completely opposed to drugs such as "ice", but supported harm-minimisation and did not believe users should go to prison.
The Greens have dropped their goal of bicycle transport making up 20 per cent of all trips. Senator Brown said the party was now just calling for greater use of pedal power.
"We are just encouraging people (to use bikes)," he said.
The Government and Labor have been fighting it out on climate change. But Senator Brown said the Greens were the only party that had set firm short-term targets for carbon emission cuts.