Premier Colin Barnett's 2009 war on drugs

[grace]

Premier Colin Barnett's 2009 war on drugs

Joe Spagnolo, political reporterJ

anuary 03, 2009

PerthNow

http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21...863-948,00.html

 

EXCLUSIVE: PREMIER Colin Barnett has told drug users he may scrub their convictions if they can stay clean, but has declared a new war on drugs in 2009.

 

In his first major interview for the New Year, Mr Barnett revealed tackling WA's drug problem would be at the forefront of his government's agenda this year, declaring that saving our youth and others from drugs was a major priority.

 

The Premier said his government could conceivably use its powers to quash drug convictions for people who had managed to stay clean for years afterwards.

 

He believed most people deserved a second chance and that the ability to have a minor drug crime expunged after a period of time would act as an incentive for people not to re-offend. It would also allow them to live the rest of their lives with a clean record.

 

Revealing his controversial plan, which was being examined as part of new drug legislation being worked up by the Liberal-National Government for the start of parliament in March, Mr Barnett told

The Sunday Times: `` We want people to get off drugs -- we want them to change their psyche.

 

``We want to stop people experimenting with drugs and if they are on drugs we want to get them off.

 

``That's an early priority for this government. Drugs are causing such devastation. They are destroying people's lives.

 

``What's in my mind is that even if people have a conviction perhaps that could be expunged after a period of time if they can demonstrate that they are not using drugs.

 

``We may have a provision that if you can demonstrate that you have stayed away from drugs then maybe that drops away so that people aren't left with a criminal record.

 

``We don't want to make criminals out of people who have used drugs.

 

``(But) we want to send a clear message that drugs are illegal and will be damaging to your health and career.

 

``These details are currently being worked through during the drafting of legislation.

 

``However, we certainly would not be quashing the records of people who have been convicted of drug dealing or trafficking.''

 

Mr Barnett said his plan would be used in conjunction with other proposals to tackle drugs outlined during last year's state election, including making all cultivation offences illegal as well as prosecuting as a criminal offence all possession offences.

 

Under the previous Labor Government, anyone caught with 30g of cannabis would be fined rather than charged with an offence and people caught with two marijuana plants would also be fined rather than face the courts.

 

These laws would be repealed, Mr Barnett said.

 

``Labor had a tolerance of drug-taking,'' he said.

 

``We are going to change that direction.''

 

Mr Barnett said the public would see another facet of his government in 2009, with a renewed emphasis on social issues.

 

He said although managing the state's finances and dealing with the fallout from the global financial crisis was still a major task for the government, the Liberals would start dealing with some of the state's important social issues, such as drugs, mental health and caring for our disabled and disadvantaged.

 

``I would hope that this government will not only be remembered or acknowledged for what it achieves economically, but for having a sense of social justice,'' Mr Barnett said.

 

``This is probably something people haven't seen from the government (so far) but will see this year.''

[nat0]

^^ now you will know what it's like living in the other states! O.o sad tho. times are a changin

[Frazz]

makes me sick ... why not he direct his efforts at curbing the spread and use of poker machines which do lead to poverty, crimminality and family destruction, but no they are taxed and therefore legal ...

 

Barnett's description of drugs also appllies to poker machines "Drugs are causing such devastation. They are destroying people's lives" exactly the same is true of poker machines is it not??

why the double standards?

 

by comparison relatively harmless cannabis is not taxed and therefore illegal and he wants to stamp it out to 'save us'?

 

[Hector]

Premier Colin Barnett's 2009 war on drugs

Joe Spagnolo, political reporterJ

anuary 03, 2009

PerthNow

http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21...863-948,00.html

``What's in my mind is that even if people have a conviction perhaps that could be expunged after a period of time if they can demonstrate that they are not using drugs.

 

``We may have a provision that if you can demonstrate that you have stayed away from drugs then maybe that drops away so that people aren't left with a criminal record.

 

``We don't want to make criminals out of people who have used drugs.

 

 

Criminal record? Big deal. Who wants to be employed by the government, or visit America anyway?

Thailand, Bali, Malaysia, let anyone in for 3 weeks as do many other countries.

People still travel the world, remain employed and hold their head high without his governments approval.

What an arrogant media tart.

The sooner he realises that he's there to look after the basic things such as infrastructure, and that prohibition fuels organised crime, the better off his constituents will be.

Do we need to educate politicians one by one? Apparently.

[Pebbz]

The Premier said his government could conceivably use its powers to quash drug convictions for people who had managed to stay clean for years afterwards.

 

He believed most people deserved a second chance and that the ability to have a minor drug crime expunged after a period of time would act as an incentive for people not to re-offend. It would also allow them to live the rest of their lives with a clean record.

 

Is he serious??? has that EVER worked? What happened when they took away the cane as punishment in school... bunch of disrespecting, don't give a crap about anything deviates roaming about causing havoc.

 

It doesn't and won't deter anyone who is serious enough about using/growing marijuana. It may deter a few of the youngens, likely turning their attention to something else, just as, if not more damaging.

 

Why does it always fall back on pot ffs... there are far more destructive things out there as Frazzle said, gambling problems, alcohol abuse, the economic crisis itself is enough to send a large proportion of families into turmoil.

 

When it comes to drug reports... it's drugs this, drugs that... blah blah marijuana. Is there a fear of mentioning the likes of speed, cocaine, heroin, ice, ecstacy...

i don't wanna go on all day, but shit

 

Oh that's right, I forgot marijuana was a "gateway" drug, so must be the root of all evil

 

The bottom line is that is far easier to build up statistics for "the war on drugs" by taking out as many weed users/ growers as possible. Gotta show something for the billions of dollars spent, or else won't get as much funding.

 

 

Pebbz