National Convention of the Liberal Party

Liberals National Convention Party leader Grande and a robot. Photo: Venstre.bo

The National Convention of the Liberal Party in short

A summary of major decisions adopted or rejected by the National Convention of the Liberal Party (Venstre) on Sunday.

 

The Liberals wants to abolish drug razzia’s at schools

The Liberals’ National Convention decided to say yes to a proposal that the practice of performing drug razzia’s in schools should cease.

Member of Parliament, Abid Raja, was among those who argued that the practice should be abolished.

– It is an infringement of the students’ personal integrity. The school must be a safe learning arena, he says.

– This does not provide a safe learning environment. We have to work preventively without spreading fear, he continues.

Those who argued in favour of the practice states that the police themselves has to decide if there is a reason to enter a school wielding drug dogs.

Divided Liberal Party rejected drug sales over the counter

The Liberals Party’s convention dismissed two radical proposals that would alter the party’s drugs policy several notches.

The National Convention dismissed to the proposal to “classify drugs after injury potential and regulate access to them accordingly”. The proposal was stricken by 106 against 98 votes.

After that, the proposal to “evaluate separate outlets for drugs with low harm potential” also fell. The proposal was voted down by 110 to 96 votes.

The Liberals wants the state to sell off some Statoil shares

The state should reduce their ownership of Statoil, the Liberals decided on Sunday.

The proposal was considered in conjunction with a statement on the framework for the Oil & Gas industry.

It was also decided that the state should sell some of the Norwegian State’s Direct Ownership shares (SDFI/SDØE), especially in long-life oil fields with high costs, to reduce Norway’s economic exposure.

Watered down oil proposal from the Liberals’ climate ministers rejected

A proposal from The Liberals’ second in command, Ola Elvestuen, to moderate several far-reaching proposals regarding Norwegian oil policy was not endorsed by the party’s National Convention.

The Liberals’ National Convention thus adopted a proposal to remove the exploration funding scheme, which is an important framework to Norwegian oil industry.

The scheme entails that the Norwegian state covers 78 per cent of exploration expenses for companies that are not in a tax position.

At the same time, The Liberals wants to reduce the tax-free income and depreciation rates so that the petroleum tax regime does not provide incentives for potentially unprofitable investments.

The proposal put forwar by Deputy Chairperson, Ola Elvestuen, was thus voted down. It reads: “The climate policy board’s recommendations should form the basis and the tax regime should be reviewed for the Oil & Gas sector so that it does not provide incentives for unprofitable investments.”

The Liberals is to fight against micro-plastic on astroturfs

Å stille umiddelbare krav om å minimere mikroplastutslippet fra alle kunstgressanlegg i Norge, er blant tiltakene The Liberalsvedtok på sitt National Convention.

In line with this, The Liberals will also consider a ban on the use of rubber granulates on new astroturfs.

The party rallied behind a comprehensive statement that stronger efforts are needed to fight against plastics entering the oceans.

Other measures The Liberals now wants to work to achieve is that Norway initiates an international agreement for handling of plastic waste, and that Norway should pilot collaborative projects with other countries to improve the waste management and retrieval of plastics.

The Liberals also want waste plans to be made and ensure that there are arrangements in place for delivering marine waste at all ports of call.

The party furthermore wish for research into the consequences and extent of plastic pollution in the ocean.

A ban on Norwegian production and use of micro-plastic in cosmetics and body care products is also on the priority list of the Liberals.

The Liberals opens for egg donation for single persons

Last weekend, the Conservatives (Høyre) National Convention decided to allow for egg donation, and on Sunday the Liberals went a step further by allowing this for singles as well.

– Dear National Convention, do not be mean to others, be nice and kind. Except for that, you’re free to do what you wish to do, says Deputy Chairperson in Oslo Young Liberals, Anna Dåsnes, when she argued for allowing egg donation for singles.

Inger Noer representing Hedmark argued against the proposal.

– We have adopted artificial fertilization for singles, egg donation and altruistic surrogacy already. I think it is unnecessary to adopt egg donation for singles as well, she states from the pulpit.

– If a single woman needs egg donation she is in need of sperm donation as well. She then gives birth to a child who, genetically speaking, has nothing to do with her person. In my mind, one should then consider whether to adopt a child instead, says Noer.

 

© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today