Petrol ban cuts crime in Arnhem Land

The Oenpelli community in Arnhem Land says juvenile crime has dropped dramatically because of a ban on petrol sales during the wet season.

The community voluntarily stopped using and selling petrol, cutting the supply to sniffers.

The Gunbalanya Council's Colin Tidswell says traditionally the wet season is the
worst time for petrol sniffing because flooding cuts the roads and there is little to do.

He says before the ban, some businesses were being broken into every night.

"The businesses were getting very tired of being broken into as well, the damages that were associated with that and certainly the social cost to the kids in the community," he said.

"All the businesses are saying to me now, the businesses and organisations in
Gunbulanya, and they're saying they won't stock fuel again, unleaded fuel, that
they're going to continue to voluntarily use Avgas."

Newshawk: http://www.napnt.org
Pubdate: 7th April 2004
Source: Australian Broadcasting Corporation News Online
Website: http://www.abc.net.au
Copyright: 2004 Australian Broadcasting Corporation