A Wanganui district councillor leading the charge to outlaw psychoactive substances in her patch says the Government has got to stop "hanging councils out to dry" with claims they were dragging the chain in getting their own policies in place.
Councillor Philippa Baker-Hogan said she had watched Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne harangue councils on news shows such as Campbell Live and Seven Sharp.
"The one constant is him bagging councils for not moving on getting their local approved product policies (LAPPs) approved, as a measure to control the proliferation of psychoactive substances (legal highs) in their communities," Mrs Baker-Hogan said.
But she said what Mr Dunne failed to mention was that on January 22, a letter from the Ministry of Health was sent to all local authorities telling them that the psychoactive substance retail regulations timeframe was being changed from expected completion in March-April this year, to early to mid-2015.
"The truth is my colleagues and I were at a full council meeting on January 27 ready to discuss and ultimately approve our LAPP that same day this letter arrived."