Rachel questioned Victorian Treasurer Jaclyn Symes on the cost of continued cannabis criminalisation. Rachel noted that enforcing criminalisation costs Australia $4.66 million per day, while failing to legalise facilitates a booming black-market trade.
On Wednesday the 8th of October, Rachel hosted a community health forum ‘In Conversation: Exploring Women’s Health and Cannabis’. From menstrual pain to menopause, cannabis is changing the conversation around women’s health. Watch Rachel and expert panellists, Tegan Scates and Lisa Nguyen, put the misinformation aside and talk about the science, stigma, and lived experience of women who use cannabis.
Rachel asked a question on behalf of a constituent. Like so many others, Rachel’s constituent uses cannabis for pain management. Given the Government’s recent rejection of cannabis reform recommendations, Rachel inquired on the criminalisation of vulnerable community members.
Rachel presented a member’s statement on her attendance to the 2025 David Penington Oration. This year’s oration was presented by former Magistrate of the Victorian Drug court, Tony Parsons.
Rachel spoke on Legalise Cannabis Victoria’s motion to progress recommendations on workplace drug testing. The current workplace drug testing model is punitive and discriminates against medicinal cannabis patients. In 2023, Rachel participated in the Inquiry into Workplace drug testing, which was initiated by a motion moved by Legalise Cannabis Victoria. Recommendations were handed down subsequent to this inquiry, that are yet to be implemented by the Government.
Rachel asked the Legislative Council to consider Legalise Cannabis Victoria’s amendments to the Roads and Ports Legislation (Road Safety and Other Matters) Bill 2025. These amendments would afford drivers who are prescribed medicinal cannabis the same freedom as those on other legal prescriptions, given that they are not impaired. While these crucial amendments were supported by the Greens and several crossbenchers, they were ultimately negatived.
Rachel made a contribution to the Roads and Ports Legislation Amendment (Road Safety and Other Matters) Bill 2025. On behalf of Legalise Cannabis Victoria, Rachel proposed amendments, advocating that medicinal cannabis that does not impair driving must be treated in the same manner as other prescription drugs.
On April 20, Victorian Legalise Cannabis MPs David Ettershank and Rachel Payne joined members of the cannabis community in Melbourne’s Flagstaff Gardens for a peaceful protest against the laws that waste the time and resources of police and magistrates.
Legalise Cannabis Victoria has secured an amendment in the Upper House to allow magistrates to exercise sentencing discretion for drivers who test positive for the cannabinoid chemical tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), if they hold a valid prescription for medicinal cannabis and are unimpaired while driving.
Rachel referred her Regulation of Personal Adult Use of Cannabis Bill 2023, to the Legal and Social Issues Committee for an inquiry.
