What cost for human misery

ALICE SPRINGS

In the same week that the Federal Government increased funding to provide non-sniffable petrol to seven more communities and six roadhouses, it voted against an inquiry to investigate a complete roll out that would include Alice Springs.

NT Senator Nigel Scullion, who voted against the inquiry, said there are complex commercial and social issues involved and a complete roll out is not the answer.

Senator Scullion said the economics of a notional cost of $40 million for a complete roll out in Alice Springs doesn’t add up for only 700 addicts.

“Making petrol sniffing illegal, with offenders placed into rehabilitation programs, and traffickers mandatorily gaoled is one way to regulating the problem,” said Senator Scullion.

“A partial roll out would need to be policed so that people coming in and returning to communities would only be able to purchase non-sniffable fuel.”

A spokesperson for CLP Leader Jodeen Carney said the party supports Senator Scullion’s terms of reference for the inquiry.

Alice Springs Mayor Fran Kilgariff said the council would lobby Senator Scullion on the issue of a roll out.

“The current decision not to roll out Opal fuel is a matter of relocating the problem instead of fixing it,” said Ms Kilgariff.

“There are already 200 sniffers in Alice Springs and we will be looking for increased funding for treatment programs.”

“The government doesn’t realise how mobile young people are.”

The Federal Government’s rejection of an inquiry into a regional roll out of Opal fuel in the Territory is a blow for all local governments, according to the President of the Local Government Association of the Northern Territory (LGANT), Alderman Kerry Moir.

LGANT, which represents 63 Councils in the NT, over 50 of which are in remote Aboriginal communities, called for a Territory wide approach back in April 2005.

Federal Labour (sic) had supported Senator Brown’s motion for the inquiry to investigate a complete roll out of Opal fuel between Coober Pedy, Tennant Creek and Laverton in Western Australia.

Senator Bob Brown said it is essential that Alice Springs has non-sniffable petrol to prevent addicts drifting into the town and prevent traffickers.

Labour (sic) Member for Lingiari Warren Snowdon, said that a comprehensive strategy is important.

“If non-sniffable petrol is going to be part of that strategy, it’s no good having gaping holes in availability,” said Mr Snowdon.

“The inquiry would have paid particular attention to funding the roll out of Opal petrol in Alice Springs and Tennant Creek.

“Instead the government has used its numbers in the Senate to dash any hope of having non-sniffable petrol right across Central Australia,” he said.

The Australian Democrats have supported Senator Scullion’s proposal.

Newshawk: http://www.napnt.org/petrol.html
Pubdate: Friday, 30 September 2005
Source: Territory Times (Australia)
Author: Delia Allen
Email: territorytimes@iprimus.com.au
Copyright: 2005 Territory Times