Under Amendment Law 2019, which takes effect on 31 January 2020, adults are allowed to grow a maximum of two cannabis plants and possess up to 50 grams of cannabis per person. A law passed this week, expected to take effect on 31 January 2020, would explicitly allow adults to grow two cannabis plants for themselves. 

In addition, the new law would allow adults to possess up to 50 grams of marijuana for themselves or another person. Marijuana is Australia’s most popular illegal drug, and although it is still illegal at the federal level, states, territories and nations treat it differently.

The law amends existing ACT criminal offences so they no longer include possession or cultivation of small amounts of cannabis. Under current ACT law, possession of 50 grams or more could be fined at $8,000 and up to two years in jail, and would land you with a possible AU $160 fine.

Despite the law change in the ACT, the federal law will continue to criminalise cannabis in the nation’s capital. The ACT is now the only state in Australia with legalised cannabis for recreational use, but regulations can vary from state to state. Laws to legalise medical marijuana across Australia have been in place for several years, and despite changes to ACT law it is still not legal. 

The global legal cannabis market is expected to double in the next five years and reach a value of about 146.4 billion dollars by 2025. 

The Jamaican King Bong (Photo courtesy www.cloudychoices.com.au)

Sales growth is largely driven by the increasing use of cannabis – based medicines such as cannabis oil and cannabis extracts. Australia appears poised to follow the trend of increasing legalisation in countries that have legalised marijuana when medical marijuana becomes legal in Australia in 2016. The cannabis industry is currently gaining traction in an increasing number of countries around the world, particularly in the United States, Canada, Australia and Japan.

Marijuana has been illegal in Australia since 1928 and has remained largely the same since, with the exception of a small number of offences where offenders face fines and penalties for possession. There are no legal restrictions on the use of cannabis oil or cannabis extracts for medicinal purposes, and there is no prohibition on their use for recreational purposes. 

With the passing of the Cannabis Regulation and the Cannabis Act 1996 (ACT) Canberra became the first city in Australia to legalise cannabis for personal use. The use and distribution of cannabis is prohibited under the Australian Criminal Code and the Australian Criminal Law Act 1998 (ACLA). 

Canberra under-18’s will be allowed to possess 50g of cannabis and grow up to two plants, but households will only be allowed to have four plants in total and hydrogen cultivation will remain illegal, ABC reports. Australians are now able to possess up to fifty grams of cannabis and grow between two and two-and-a-half plants.

The new law, which was passed in the Australian Capital Territory in September, now comes into force in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia.

Australia’s capital is the first part of the country to legalise cannabis for both personal and recreational use. Under the new law, which came into force on 31 January, adults in Canberra can take up to one gram of dried cannabis and grow two cannabis plants. The Australian capital territory allows people to possess fifty grams of cannabis and grow up to two plants at home for personal use and medicinal purposes.

On Wednesday, the Australian Capital Territory’s Legislative Assembly voted to legalise possession of the drug for personal use for the first time in the country’s history, according to The Canberra Times.

The opposition voted against the law, arguing that the change would encourage more people to use marijuana and lead to more drug use – induced psychosis.

In the 1920s and early 1930s cannabis was a legalised drug, but it was dangerous, so much so that the US government came up with the idea of banning the drug as a reason for doing so. Today, cannabis is one of the most illegal drugs used around the world, both illegal and legal. It is now legal in certain parts of Canada, where there is a “cannabis park” where people can smoke and relax with friends, and it has reduced the amount of cannabis smuggled in from other countries and states.

If legalised in Australia, will it stop people from smoking it illegally or being paranoid? Despite the fears, the sale of Australia cannabis smoking devices, and the hunt for the best Australian bongs, still remain a popular past-time for Australian  recreational users.

The post Legalisation Of Cannabis In Australia appeared first on OzMedia.

We anticipate the situation to get worse in the coming weeks and we all have a duty to minimize network load, therefore OzMedia have taken the following steps :

• Medical organisations will receive HIGH priority placement on our message queues for faster delivery of SMS, FAX and Text-to-Speech messages.
• ALL Marketing and non-essential messages, for the foreseeable future, have been given low priority, and may be blocked on our systems entirely.
• Marketing material to medical organisations, unless specifically Medical B2B, are no longer allowed on our systems until further notice.
• We have streamlined our account application process to make our services available to eligible medical organisations quickly.
• Medical organisations will be given special support communications channels and priority assistance, with support hours extended from 8am to 8pm AEST.
• Any monthly flag-fall fees for medical access accounts have been waived for all outbound services.

To register, please visit our REGISTRATION PAGE

Once registered, you will be given further instructions on how to access priority support, applications integration and service tutorials.

We have 20+ years experience in integrating diagnostic systems, medical imaging, patient records, clinician & practice management systems, pharmacy & prescription notifications as well as multiple appointment reminder & notification applications.

For more information, please call us at 02 8006 3438 or contact us here

The post Update : Change to our Service and Structure re: COVID-19 for Medical Organisations appeared first on OzMedia.

Victorian disabled man fined for parking in a “Disabled Car Parking Space” – Image Courtesy Wikipedia

Mr Ben Williams was injured in a car accident at the age 13 months, some 49 years ago, leaving him a paraplegic.  He has been residing in the Monash Council for over 20 years, was fined for parking in a disabled car park over four years ago, claiming no disabled permit was displayed.

After repeated attempts to resolve the issue, the Victorian Police who issued the fine, have refused to accept copies of his disabled permit, which they claimed was not displayed.  He has had a Disabled Permit from the Monash Council since the time he arrived in Mulgrave to study at Swinburne University almost 25 years ago. Mr Williams Car Licence has a condition of ‘must have hand controls’, which the Department of Justice has also refused to take into consideration, which Mr Williams has also explained to them despite the fact that the hand controls are visible through the windscreen.

The Disabled Permit has evolved over the years, as there has been many problem of the permit not sticking on the window.  Some of the more progressive councils have move to a permit where it hangs on the mirror, reducing the likely hood of it falling.  Mr Williams has refused to pay the fine, this Friday will head to court in a hope that justice will prevail.  Mr Williams askes “Does this ‘pass the pub test’ or the ‘sniff test’, I don’t think so he claims”.  He believes this is nothing more than greed.  The Department seems to have a policy of no common sense at the moment with no respect for the people who they serve.

Mr Williams has been gainfully employed with Telstra for 22 years and a valued member of the community.  On his arrival to the area he was on the State Executive of the Victorian Young Farmers after serving 2 years as the State President.  More recently he has organised 3 family reunions, 2 in Waaia where his family has lived for more than 160 years and Kyneton were his material family settled.

In 2008, Mr Williams took his long service leave from Telstra, and spent 5 months in Europe travelling alone, throughout England, France, Portugal and Spain.

To compound Mr Williams plight, 2 years ago he snapped his bicep getting into his car.  Years of pushing his wheelchair around has taken its toll on his shoulder.  While the initial pain has gone, he has lost a lot of strength in his arm and the muscle will not heal without surgery, taking him out of action for 3 months.  His doctor’s advice was to get a new vehicle where he can drive from his wheelchair, taking a bit of strain of his shoulders.

Example Modified Vehicle Mr Williams hopes to raise money for via his GoFundMe page – (Image gofundme.com)

Since then, Mr Williams has done a lot of research into what vehicles are available and the costs.

The best option he has come across is a Volkswagen Transport from  Capital Special Vehicles in Dandenong.  They completely modify the van to his needs.  This vehicle has a lot of safety features, which others fail to deliver, however they come with a cost – the van all up would cost over $150,000.

Mr Williams has set up a GoFundMe page to assist with the cost – https://www.gofundme.com/benwillywheels.

Google Ben Willys Wheels to find more information.

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With Associate Professor Anthony Harris and Dr. Juliette Drobny, The University of Sydney will host two full-day workshops on anxiety and depression management at Novotel Newcastle Beach on 1 & 2 April 2017.

The workshops are specifically designed for health professionals in primary care to improve skills in psychological and pharmacological treatments for patients with anxiety disorders and depression.

Anxiety disorders and depression are the most prevalent of all mental disorders.

The disability associated with anxiety disorders and depression is comparable to chronic physical illnesses and their presence worsens the prognosis for other mental and physical conditions.

Effective psychological and pharmacological treatments are available, yet recent research indicates anxiety disorders and depression remain under-recognised in primary care and the majority of sufferers do not receive adequate treatment.

Come to either or both workshops, learn and socialise!

With the interactive, hands-on and intensive training, you will take home with the latest evidence-based psychological and pharmacological strategies that you can apply to your clinical practice straight away.

DATE & TIME – 1 & 2 April 2017 9am – 5pm
VENUE – Novotel Newcastle Beach, 5 King Street, Newcastle, NSW 2300
COST – $462 per day, including GST, full-day catering, course manual and certificate.

Find more information at cce.sydney.edu.au/course/adgp for the Anxiety Day
and at cce.sydney.edu.au/course/mdgp for the Depression Day.

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“We are thrilled to receive this recognition from IAOP,” says Scott Stavretis, Acquire CEO. “Being named as one of the world’s best outsourcing providers  demonstrates our ongoing commitment to provide an offshore advantage to our clients by connecting them with skilled people globally.”

The judging cemented Acquire BPO on the 2017 Global Outsourcing® 100 list of companies that involved a rigorous scoring methodology, including an independent review by a panel of IAOP customer members with extensive experience in selecting outsourcing service providers.

“Buyers understand there are hundreds of qualified service providers and advisors out there, but what they really need to understand is what makes each one exceptional,” says Debi Hamill, IAOP CEO. “The Global Outsourcing 100 and World’s Best Advisors lists have done just that. We are proud to recognize Acquire BPO for being among the highest rated companies in size and growth.”

Check out the full list here:

About Acquire BPO

Acquire BPO is a global business outsourcer headquartered in Australia and with locations in the United States, the Philippines and the Dominican Republic. With a workforce of 7,000 people, Acquire provides a suite of contact center and back office services for clients across many industries including telecommunications, banking and financial services, insurance, media, education and retail. With a strong focus on culture, Acquire has built a team that is passionate about service excellence and innovation—developing and leveraging some of the latest technologies to ensure its clients are at the forefront of their industries.

About IAOP

IAOP is the go‐to association leading the way to improve outsourcing outcomes by bringing together customers, providers and advisors in a collaborative, knowledge‐based environment that promotes professional development, recognition, certification and excellence. With over 120,000 members and affiliates worldwide, IAOP is not only on top of the latest trends but in front of them. Through its expansive global chapter network, premier training and certification programs, knowledge center, member community and more, IAOP helps members learn, grow and succeed. For more information and how you can become involved, visit www.IAOP.com.

Follow Acquire BPO at www.facebook/AcquireBPO and twitter.com/AcquireBPO.

The post Acquire BPO ranks as the only Australian company on IAOP’s world’s best outsourcing providers list appeared first on OzMedia.

The new website can be found at the same address www.farmingahead.com.au only with a bright new look and clearer organisation to make searching for your favourite topics quicker and easier.

Smart new look for farming community

The website is now organised into new categories that can be found across the top of the website on a blue bar, including Machinery, Livestock, Cropping, Business, Workshop and Technology to showcase the latest news and information from the Australian agricultural industry.

The Kondinin Group Research Reports give an in-depth look at a range of topics, including farming technology, business, cropping, tractors, farm equipment and livestock. Our experienced and educated researchers independently test equipment and processes giving you valuable and instructive information. Much like Choice magazine, only for farmers.

Our new Machinery section covers the latest news and real road tests from our on-farm researchers on tractors and motoring as well as tillage, seeding, spraying and harvesting equipment.

Look out for our Insight section to get the latest opinion from Bushwhacker, see our On Farm section for the latest developments in politics and visit our Ideas & Innovations sections to see the latest farm inventions straight from Kondinin Group members.

Be sure to visit our Weather section that, in partnership with Weatherzone, allows you to customise the results for your area and view real-time satellite and synoptic weather charts.

The new website also allows you buy print and digital books from our Bookstore. With titles such as the Field Crop Herbicide Guide and the Workshop and Workboot series, there is something for every aspect of learning about agriculture and farming processes.

See our Awards section to view past and present winners of the national Farmer of the Year Awards and when nominations open, nominate deserving farmers for the awards next year online.

Farming Ahead editor and head of research Ben White said he hoped new and existing members enjoy the new site. “Our new site represents the kind of value we want to add to being a Kondinin Group member. It’s an exciting time for agriculture in Australia and we want to be on the forefront of providing the farming community with the most up to date information relating to every aspect of the industry,” Mr White said.

Sign up for a 30 day trial to the new FarmingAhead.com.au and send all feedback to contact@kondinin.com.au. For membership opportunities, click here to find out more.

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Donation Point Tap will launch at the ACOSS (Australian Council of Social Service) Expo on 17^th November 2016 and will provide not for profit organisations with the opportunity to offer innovative card acceptance options for fundraising.

Quest Chief Executive, Jan Mason says that Donation Point Tap provides charities with a new channel that independently accepts donations directly without increasing staffing or administration requirements.

Only 500 devices could mean as much as $7,000,000+ in collections

‘We are very excited about the arrival of Donation Point Tap, which was developed to help charities address a decline in their cash-based donation revenues.  By offering a solution that makes donating possible for everyday consumers using contactless payments, we’re helping charities to turn this around’.  

This innovation comes from problems charities are facing, in their inability to accept donations directly.

‘Donation Point Tap provides a new channel for receiving donations that is easy to use and reduces the costs of collecting.  Donation collection can be challenging, managing volunteer networks is time-consuming and using third party charity collectors can reduce the actual campaign dollars received by charities,’ says Jan.

Donation Point Tap combines Quest’s mobile payments technology with a custom designed and branded contactless device that attracts potential donors to the charity’s brand.  The donation amount is configured by the charity, and donors can simply tap their card or NFC-capable mobile phone to make a donation for the pre-set amount.

Funds are transferred electronically to the charity’s bank account each business day, and donation configuration and reporting can be managed by the charity through Quest’s online web portal.

Quest’s Director of Sales and Marketing, Damien Halloran says that Quest is delighted to provide a product that has the potential to transform fundraising.

‘Donation Point Tap has been designed to address a fundraising issue identified by charities we have been involved with.  It is essential to stay relevant when competing for the charity dollar and meet the changing expectations of potential donors.  Accepting card Donations solves this problem by providing the latest contactless technology to reduce reliance on cash donations that also opens up a new channel of opportunity for charities.’

Donation Point Tap removes that barrier of ‘no spare change’ making it easy for anyone to donate using a contactless card or mobile.

The post Charity Donation TAP System Set to Shake-up Collections in Australia appeared first on OzMedia.