We don’t want their gas plant and they don’t want us
ConocoPhillips deny hundreds of Territorians work due to past illicit drug use
Members of the Network Against Prohibition (NAP) have been outraged by revelations that hundreds of Territorians missed out on work because of past illicit drug use. The claims, by the Murdoch Sunday Territorian come days after an announcement that 65 people had been purged from the Australian Defence Force for the same reason, many from Robertson Barracks south of Darwin.
ConocoPhillips, the company responsible for building the new Gas Plant at Wickham Point in Darwin harbour, told the Sunday Territorian that 40% of NT residents who applied for jobs on the project were rejected because of failed drug and alcohol tests.
NAP spokesperson Gary Meyerhoff said “According to reports from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare it seems that illicit drug users make up the majority of the population in the Northern Territory. It is extremely distressing to hear that over half of the local population is being overlooked because of the results of a dodgy urine test, especially when the Australian Drug Czar Brian Watters has accused illicit drug users of lining up in dole queues demanding social security benefits.”
The NAP are vehemently opposed to drug testing in the workplace and see it as yet another attack on the civil liberties of innocent people. Meyerhoff said “The drug tests are unreliable and are no indication of whether a person is fit or unfit for work. A positive drug test may result because a person smoked a joint a week ago, injected a line of speed the day before, or received a dose of methadone from the local chemist that morning, none of these mean that a person is unfit for work.”
“In fact, the US Air Force regularly gives methamphetamines to its fighter pilots who were involved in the bombing of Iraq – to enhance their concentration.”
“Drug testing in the workplace takes away the individuals right to privacy and means the criminalisation of the Northern Territory lifestyle.”
“This is just another example of how our elected representatives are completely out of touch with the average Territorian.”
“What is really unhealthy? We all continue to use illicit drugs that really aren’t as bad as the government make them out to be? Or ConocoPhillips spew toxic waste into the environment and rape Darwin’s unique mangroves?”
The Network Against Prohibition will be holding their 16th Community Smoke-In for Human Rights on Saturday the 13th March and they are encouraging the locals who have been rejected by ConocoPhillips to come along and have their say.
For more information, call Gary on 0415 16 2525
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