The Political Journey of Legalise Cannabis Australia
Australia's primary cannabis law reform political party has undergone a remarkable transformation from fringe activism to legitimate parliamentary representation over three decades of persistent advocacy.
Origins in the 1990s
The party was founded in 1993 by Nigel Quinlan, who ran as a candidate under the name Nigel Freemarijuana, with the group's headquarters based in Nimbin, New South Wales – a town synonymous with Australia's cannabis counterculture. Originally called the Help End Marijuana Prohibition (HEMP) Party, it emerged during an era when cannabis law reform was considered radical political territory.
The party's early years were marked by bureaucratic challenges. In 2007, prior to the federal election, HEMP was de-registered as a political party by the Australian Electoral Commission after a random audit of its membership. This setback proved temporary, as the group re-applied for party registration in February 2010 and was formally re-registered on 23 September 2010.
Electoral Performance and Growing Recognition
Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, the party achieved modest but noteworthy results. Historically the party's best result was at the 1994 Elizabeth by-election in South Australia with a 5.37 percent primary vote. By 2013, the party received a nationwide Senate vote of 0.71 percent at the federal election, demonstrating growing but still limited national support.
Rebranding and Breakthrough Success
A pivotal moment came in 2021 when at the party's AGM held on 11 September 2021, a name change was proposed to change the party's name to Legalise Cannabis Australia, which was passed in a vote by party members. This rebranding coincided with unprecedented electoral success.
The breakthrough came at state level. At the 2021 Western Australian state election, the Party's local affiliate, Legalise Cannabis WA, were successful in gaining two seats in the Legislative Council, marking the first parliamentary representation for HEMP or its state affiliate parties. This historic achievement was followed by further victories: at the 2022 Victorian state election the party had two candidates elected to the Legislative Council, David Ettershank and Rachel Payne, and at the 2023 NSW state election, former Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham was elected to the Legislative Council.
Current Status and Federal Ambitions
The party continues to build momentum, with LCP candidate Lindsay Melody gaining a primary vote of 14.57% in the outer suburban seat of Ipswich West in the 2024 Queensland by-election - a new high for the party.
As of 2025, Legalise Cannabis Australia is mounting "the largest federal election campaign we have ever run" according to national secretary Craig Ellis, with more than A$250,000 raised for the campaign, enabling the party to fund radio advertising and billboards across Australia.
The party's evolution from a small activist group in Nimbin to a legitimate parliamentary force reflects changing Australian attitudes toward cannabis, with over 40 percent of the public now in favour of legalisation — nearly doubling since 2013. What began as a single-issue fringe movement has transformed into a political party achieving genuine electoral success and parliamentary representation across multiple states.
From Nigel Freemarijuana's pioneering candidacy in 1993 to today's professional campaigns targeting federal representation, Legalise Cannabis Australia exemplifies how persistent grassroots advocacy can evolve into mainstream political influence over time.