[Greens-Media] Vanstone, Abbott wrong on petrol sniffing - Brown

[Oquist, Ben (Sen B. Brown)]

Tuesday, 9th August 2005

Vanstone, Abbott wrong on 
petrol sniffing - Brown

Greens call for urgent action

Greens Senator Bob Brown says that the Minister for Indigenous Affairs
Amanda Vanstone is wrong when she said, yesterday that 'reducing the
supply of sniffable petrol is not an answer in itself '.

"The Howard government has centred its fight against drug use in the
white community on banning addictive drugs and criminalizing
trafficking," Senator Brown said.

"It should be as focussed for Indigenous Australians, now that
vapourless Opal petrol is available.

"Tony Abbott should review his decision, made earlier this year, not to
fund the roll-out of safe petrol across central Australia

"The urgent appeal by Aboriginal leaders should be heeded.  The claim by
one - that Aborigines did not make petrol - is irrefutable.

"The $8-10 million required for Cental Australian petrol substitution
campaign should be compared with the government's fuel excise which
raised 13.47 billion dollars last financial year, and the GST on fuel
which raised an extra $364 million.

"On top of that, the Howard Government is spending $20 million on
advertising industrial relations program: more than double the amount
required to rid central Australia of sniffable petrol," Senator Brown
said.

Further information: Ben Oquist 02 6277 3170 or 0419 704 095