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Mr [John Howard] said Labor's preference deal with the Greens, who were "soft" on drugs, showed the ALP was not as strict on the issue.
"A re-elected Coalition government will expect the states and territories to adopt these national standards," Mr Howard said. "We are the zero-tolerance Coalition when it comes to drugs."
A former heroin user, Colin Griffith, who has worked on a number of
different public health programs relating to drugs and addiction, said
Mr Howard's approach was a "war on drug users" not a "war on drugs".
CRIMINALS convicted of hard-drug offences will have their welfare
payments quarantined for 12 months under a Coalition plan to stop
government handouts being spent on drugs, alcohol and cigarettes.
As part of a dramatic expansion of
John
Howard's push to ensure welfare payments are not being wasted by
recipients, convicted drug abusers and traffickers would only be able to
spend their welfare money on necessities such as food.
The
Howard Government's intervention in Northern Territory Aboriginal
communities involves quarantining half of parents' social security
payments, with
the money set aside by authorities for essential household expenses, such as schooling for children.
Before
the election campaign,
the Coalition cabinet approved a plan to extend
the welfare clampdown, first proposed by Aboriginal leader Noel Pearson on Queensland's Cape York, to non-indigenous
Australians.
Parents of children considered to be at risk would face
the threat of Centrelink taking control of half their family assistance payments for up to 12 months.
The latest proposal, hailed by
the
Prime Minister as an extension of his zero-tolerance approach to drugs,
would cost about $36 million over four years and could affect
the welfare payments of about 6000 people a year.
Releasing
the
plan in Sydney yesterday, Mr Howard said people convicted of offences
involving hard drugs such as heroin, cocaine and amphetamines would be
able to use their welfare payments to cover bills and essential items
such as food.
But a system managed by Centrelink and non-government organisations would lock up 100per cent of welfare payments to ensure
the money was not spent on drugs, tobacco and alcohol. And
the 12-month quarantine period could be extended if welfare recipients faced new drugs convictions.
The new quarantine rules would be introduced in December next year if
the Coalition were re-elected, Mr Howard said. And
the Coalition would consider extending
the policy, depending on its success, to people convicted of criminal offences involving other drugs, such as cannabis.
Mr Howard said Labor's preference deal with
the Greens, who were "soft" on drugs, showed
the ALP was not as strict on
the issue.
But he unveiled a plan to give extra support to drug addicts. Welfare
recipients who are convicted of drug offences would be eligible for
immediate referral to rehabilitation services to help them overcome
their drug problems, and Mr Howard promised to expand assistance to help
drug addicts get a job.
Addicts' eligibility for Job Capacity Account services -- money
assigned to unemployed people for job training and other services --
would be extended from
the current maximum of 13 weeks to up to 26 weeks, giving them access to up to $2500.
Mr Howard said that if re-elected, he would seek greater consistency in
the drug laws across state jurisdictions to develop a "national standard relating to
the quantities involved in
the trafficking and possession of illicit drugs".
"A re-elected Coalition government will expect
the states and territories to adopt these national standards," Mr Howard said. "We are
the zero-tolerance Coalition when it comes to drugs."
But his proposals met with
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hostility from experts and users, who say it will increase crime
rates and unduly punish people struggling to get their lives back on
track. Mr Howard was also heavily criticised for attempting to make
political gain out of those struggling to deal with personal problems.
Tony Trimingham, head of
the Family Drug Support group, described
the plan as "diabolical".
"It is totally counter-productive and a stripping of citizen's rights," he said.
"It will also make
the misery of
the
families of addicted people more severe. Emphasis should be placed on
rehabilitation and making sure people live normal lives."
A former heroin user, Colin Griffith, who has worked on a number of
different public health programs relating to drugs and addiction, said
Mr Howard's approach was a "war on drug users" not a "war on drugs".
"Addiction is best handled by health professionals instead of politicians with no expertise in
the area who are promoting fear in
the community for personal political gain during an election campaign. It's easy to kick people already in
the gutter," he said.
Reverend Harry Herbert, executive director of UnitingCare, which runs
the medically supervised injecting room in Kings Cross, described
the announcement as a sign of desperation by Mr Howard. He said
the withdrawal of welfare payments was harsh and excessive and did not take into account
the fact that many users who came in contact with
the legal system were struggling to get off drugs and get on with their lives.
Annie Madden, from
the Australian Injecting and Illicit Drug Users League, said research clearly showed punitive measures almost always failed to alter
the behaviour of current drug users, and using
the welfare system as a form of punishment would only make these people more desperate and more disenfranchised.
She said it would increase crime rates and
the suffering of drug addicts' families.
Mr Rudd said said Mr Howard was desperately producing policies in
the shadow of polling day to cling to power.
