It was Kronic stupidity.

The reprehensible censorship employed by the Barnett government in response to The Bakery's planned Kronic Blowout show back in June will no doubt be remembered well by those reading this a few months later. For those who aren't familiar with the story, have a gander at my previous post on the topic here.

Vicious colonial scumbucket Rob Johnson: In charge of W.A. State violence
(source)

As I was cleaning out my inbox tonight I came across this press release... whether it ever made it to the actual press, I don't know, but here it is for posterity.

Kron Voyage

Is the government out of control in the West???

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Kronic Blowout cancelled by WA State Government

Is the government out of control in the West???

The WA State Government banned Kronic (synthetic weed) in Western Australia on Monday but couldn’t introduce the ban officially/legally until Friday at which time it becomes an illegal substance in Western Australia. 

Headliners Perth based reggae/dub band SUNSHINE BROTHERS and nu-soul act COSMO GETS decided to have a laugh about it and accepted my offer to perform at a Kronic Blowout to welcome in the prohibition, have a laugh and make a point. 

The irony is that the bulk of the demand for Kronic was generated in the first place by sensationalist and ever more meaningless mainstream media reports and the pursuant bumbling press releases from the Government agencies. 

The media & government PROMOTED it to the people in a frenzy nearly matching the unbelievably tawdry planking episode. 

The result of this totally legal party being advertised was a MASSIVE over-reaction by media, numerous ministers & government agencies and finally this afternoon the police with support of the director of liquor licensing stepped in to ban the event under very, very shaky application of the law. 

Early this afternoon the police visited the venue and requested that they shut down for 24 hours under section 114 of the liquor act  

LIQUOR CONTROL ACT 1988 - SECT 114

114 . Closure of licensed premises by police

(1) Where a member of the Police Force for the time being on duty at any place has reasonable grounds for believing that at or in the vicinity of that place — 

(a) civil disorder, a breach of the peace or a threat to public safety is occurring or is likely to occur; and 

(b) in the interests of maintaining the peace or ensuring public safety it is or may be desirable that licensed premises be closed, 

that person may require the licensee, or an employee or agent of the licensee, to close the licensed premises or a part of those premises, or to cease the sale, supply or consumption of liquor (including the sale of packaged liquor) on or from the premises or a part of the premises, for a specified period or until further notice, and a person who, without reasonable cause, contravenes a requirement so made commits an offence.

This is a completely legal show making a valid social and political comment. 

If they are arguing that Kronic – a currently legal substance itself by their own bumbling laws – risks public safety does that mean that all liquor licenses selling alcohol or permitting smoking which is also legal should be shut immediately? 

There was no indication of any kind that any kind of trouble would eventuate from this show and no real grounds to stop it in this way.  

The decision implies that intelligent adults who got the joke and were keen for a night out are in some way violent or below the law or sub-standard is completely horrendous. 

Sometime [sic] you feel like you are free to comment in this country or to engage in mild satire but you clearly are not when it comes to the WA Government.

You think before saying or doing ANYTHING that our government would be smart enough to read very balanced and SCIENTIFIC Global Commission Report on Drugs prepared by global leaders, health experts etc so they are fully informed about the bigger picture and the shortfalls in policy rather than focussing on the minutia of Kronic and a single night concert making a point and having a laugh at a government with no real concept of what needs to be done. 

Do they actually think Kronic is a preferred drug or just something that people who like and want to smoke natural, real weed who don’t want to get busted use to get a little high every now and then. 

Read the major report on drugs – it pretty much comes up with the opposite conclusion to our government policy

Downloadable [here]

I never did find out who Kron Voyage was, but they disappeared off Facebook pretty quickly, as did later attempts to encourage people to Dress Homeless For CHOGM...

This Disgusting Pig Must Go

As news comes in hard and fast this morning about Barnett's thugs dragging protesters into cars at James Price Point, it's worth reflecting what we've gotten ourselves into.

I'd apologise to Fat Mike but he's an arrogant cunt and so am I.

• Kimberley Land Grab where our state police are being used to protect Woodside's interests
• Unadulterated corruption and collusion between the state and mining companies.
• The introduction and subsequent cross-pollination of genetically-modified canola into the state's food supply.
• The concurrent sale of our public food assets to Monsanto, of all people.
• Collusion with real estate developers to turn land, which was bequeathed to the state under the condition that it never be developed, into a private canal estate in the middle of Rockingham.
• Consistant attempts on behalf of Police Minister Rob Johnson to remove the presumption of innocence from a wide range of laws: this includes his failed Stop & Search legislation, temporary CHOGM laws as well as a range of traffic and other legislation.
• Failure to ensure that our hospitals and prisons are owned by the community, not sold to profiteering cowboys.
• Consistant disrespect of our state's traditional owners and an utter disregard for everybody else. A perpetuation of imperial mores that belong in the 19th Century.

It's time to fucking go, Colin. Enjoy your cushy retirement job as a "consultant" to Woodside.