Abbott defends petrol sniffing measures

Federal Health Minister Tony Abbott says he will consider the Northern Territory coroner's findings into three petrol sniffing-related deaths.

Coroner Greg Cavanagh handed down his findings in Alice Springs yesterday.

Mr Cavanagh labelled the federal and territory governments' responses to the problem of petrol sniffing in central Australia as "pathetic".

He threw his support behind the roll-out of non-sniffable fuel throughout the entire Central Desert region.

Mr Abbot has issued a written statement defending the Commonwealth's measures.

He says 42 communities currently have the non-sniffable fuel and another 28 are on a waiting list.

Mr Abbot says the Commonwealth is also considering whether a limited supply of the petrol could be made available in Alice Springs.

Meanwhile, one of the strongest supporters of the roll-out of non-sniffable fuel in central Australia says it has been encouraged by the coroner's findings.

The NPY Women's Council in the Central Desert region made a submission to the coronial inquiry.

The council's Vicky Gillick hopes the coroner's recommendations will give the Commonwealth a hurry-up.

"I think to call it pathetic is fairly damning but I don't think it's unfair because we have seen very slow progress even though there's been a little bit more over the past perhaps year-and-a-half, so some increased efforts," she said.

"It's very easy for these sorts of progress to get tied up within departments."

Newshawk: http://www.napnt.org/petrol.html
Pubdate: Tue, 11 October 2005
Source: Australian Broadcasting Corporation (Australia Web)
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Copyright: 2005 Australian Broadcasting Corporation
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