The Australian Greens have launched their latest effort to legalise recreational cannabis.

When Senator David Shoebridge, Greens justice spokesperson, took the Legalising Cannabis Bill to a vote last November, Labor joined forces with the Coalition to vote it down.

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Shoebridge said on March 13: “Labor had the chance to vote for legalisation last year and blew it,” adding, “We’re not waiting for them to wake up.”

The Greens’ proposal includes a legal, regulated and taxed recreational cannabis market. It points to a Parliamentary Budget Office report that reveals a potential $700 million a year in federal revenue, along with hundreds of millions at state and territory levels.

“The Greens’ plan will let the public decide if they want to spend more time and money on the failed war on drugs, or grow a new sustainable and exciting industry,” Shoebridge said.

Greens leader Adam Bandt said revenue could go towards “schools, hospitals and climate action”. The framework promises “safe, labelled, quality-controlled cannabis … with secure regional jobs, safe products, flourishing small businesses and the option to visit a chilled-out cannabis cafe”.

It mirrors the United States model, where states raked in more than $20 billion in tax revenue in the first quarter of last year.

While a population of 27 million will not........

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