[Greens-Media] Governments too slow to act on petrol sniffing

[Ludlam, Scott (Sen R. Siewert)]

Senator Rachel Siewert
Australian Greens Senator for WA

Monday, 18 September 2006

Governments too slow to act on petrol sniffing

"Governments are failing to act quickly and decisively to respond to a
marked increase in suicidal and self-harming behaviour associated with
petrol sniffing on APY lands, despite a wealth of information about
effective interventions," said Senator Rachel Siewert today.

The SA Coroner has hit out at poorly planned and clearly inadequate
action by police and government in response to 12 recent deaths he is
now investigating on Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara lands.

Senator Siewert renewed calls for the Council of Australian Governments
to act on the recommendations of the Senate Inquiry into petrol sniffing
handed down earlier this year. 

"The federal government has yet to respond or outline how it will act on
the majority of the report's recommendations," said Senator Siewert. 

"Safe houses, community-based programs, rehabilitation facilities, youth
workers and improved data collection (particularly in relation to deaths
linked to petrol sniffing) are all needed to address petrol sniffing and
are all recommended in the Senate report."

"The response of the SA Minister's office in recommending that they
distance the deaths from petrol sniffing is extremely disappointing and
counter-productive," she said.

"We need to be facing up to this problem and tackling it head-on, not
continuing to try to sweep it under the rug."
"Surely the Coroner isn't going to have to repeat his recommendations a
third time?" 

"In his second inquiry in 2005 the Coroner repeated his recommendations
from the first 2002 inquiry, as no progress had been made in
implementing his recommendations."

For more information or comment call Chris Twomey on 0407 725 025
Email senator.siewert at aph.gov.au  |  http://www.rachelsiewert.org.au