Karma Koala Podcast

Haven’t spoken to Daniel in a while so great to hear that he’s decided to launch a firm working with his colleague from Mcglinchey and back in the day Greenlight, Perry Salzhauer.

The firm is  working in the cannabis & psychedelics fields as well as other highly regulated substances.

We talk about the type of work he’ll be doing, how he wants to approach things.

Daniel has been a cannabis lawyer from the moment he left law school and is a true 21st century lawyer working in new and developing industries with uncertainities.

Great to chat and really looking forward to see his firm grow.

The new generation of cannabis lawyers are here and they’ll be changing things already.



Learn more about Daniel's new firm at
https://cannabislaw.report/karma-koala-podcast-238-daniel-shortt-launches-new-firm-with-partner-perry-salzhauer-in-pacific-nw/

In our secret location in an, as yet, unlogged part of NSW we get Senator David Shoebridge, the Greens Party spokesperson For Justice (inc Attorney-General and Drug Law Reform) up the tree for a chat.

We spoke with David prior to Christmas about his landmark cannabis bill presented last year to the Australian parliament.

In our last discussion we delved into what he hoped the bill would achive in terms of setting up a national conversation.

Now in early March 2025 we are waiting for the incumbent Australian administration to call a federal election.

I speak to David about the conversation the Greens want to have about cannabis regulation and try and squeeze some information out of him about party  thinking before they present their election manifesto.

As with any politician worth their salt he fed me a couple of tidbits but I’ll have to wait to hear along with everybody else their full plans.

We spoke about working with other parties, some of the challenges of getting law enforcement onside and thoughts on how to build an industry that can be part of the process of bringing new jobs to rural parts of Australia.

As David said towards the end of our chat, hopefully sooner rather than later we can meet up over a Matcha Cannabis Coffee in a cannabis cafe built from hempcrete and discuss next steps in that convivial environment.

That would be nice!

Thought it was time to do a quick catch up with Rod.

How is hemp feeling?

Pretty good actually and now some cannabis players have decided it’s time to come to the party, some within the sector are saying what Timbuk 3 once said..


We also spend a bit of time digging into cannabis and hemp beverages. Who, where and what?

We touch on what legislators and regulators are thinking and how they still remain somewhat behind the 8 ball on most issues from consumption lounges to “impairment” and driving.

I always enjoy talking with Rod hope you enjoy listening.

Learn more
https://cannabislaw.report/karma-koala-podcast-236-rod-kight-hemp-is-feeling-pretty-good/

Cannabis doomscrolling through linked in last week i came across the following post by Atlanta Georgia Lawyer Tom Church.

Our Firm Gets Charges Dismissed in Delta-8-THC Prosecution

The headline caught my eye because very little information about cannabis or hemp comes out of the state and rarely do lawyers from that part of the world pop their heads above the parapet.

I contacted Tom to talk about this particular case and fell into a wider discussion about cannabis and hemp enforcement in the state.

Put it this way, prior to my conversation with Tom my knowledge was sitting on empty battery about the state.

After half an hour with Tom on zoom i feel much more up to speed, not withstanding the fact that he’s an absolute pleasure to converse with and i look forward to more conversations in the future.

Want to know more about this particular case read his post at https://www.pagepate.com/delta-8-charges-dismissed/

I know i’m not meant to advertise but if you have Georgia on your mind he is your man.

Learn more at

https://cannabislaw.report/karma-koala-podcast-234-tom-church-litigator-atlanta-georgia-our-firm-gets-charges-dismissed-in-delta-8-thc-prosecution/

Along with my other hero of drug law reform in Australia, Michael Balderstone, Fiona has stood up for and shouted from the rooftops about sensible drug law reform with a emphasis on health and good policy for nigh on 3 decades.

As you’ll see from her bio below she’s talked about and advocated for change much longer than most of us have even thought about it.

She’s returned to the fray and brought her political knowledge, skills and expertise to try and gain a seat in the Australian Senate in the upcoming federal election for the cannabis party and they are more than lucky to have her.

Not many can engineer change, she is one of those has has done it repeatedly in the past and is probably the best opportunity that cannabis has in this generation of the ongoing campaign.

I wanted to catch this moment in time with her and she graciously agreed to appear on our rather DIY podcast to discuss the political history of cannabis in Australia since the late 60′, early 70’s, what let her to drug law reform policy and what her hopes are if she can get elected and how she intends to work in order to effect legislative change that can then allow the states to get down to brass tacks and actually create a workable system that balances medical and adult use as well as homegrow in Australia.

Imagine that!

Thankyou again to Fiona and enjoy the podcast.

Learn more at
https://cannabislaw.report/karma-koala-podcast-234-fiona-patten-australias-leading-drug-policy-reformer-visionary-running-for-the-senate-under-the-flag-of-the-cannabis-party-in-upcoming-federal-election/