Wednesday, 30 May 2001


Media Release

MANDATORY SENTENCING BILL IS BLUNT INSTRUMENT AGAINST DRUGS IN CABRAMATTA

The Government's Police Powers (Drug Premises) Bill 2001 introduced into parliament today is nothing short of mandatory sentencing and may do more harm than good according to UNITY party Fairfield Councillor Thang Ngo.

The Bill imposes a mandatory sentence of one year gaol for the first offence and five years for second and subsequent offences in relation to drug houses.

"While the government will argue this Bill will apply across all the State, in reality it will be used predominantly in the multicultural Cabramatta area" said Cr Ngo.

"Just as mandatory sentencing should be opposed in WA and the Northern Territory for it's targeting of Indigenous Australians, this Bill should be opposed for it's targeting of Asian-Australians.

"Partners and family members of people who deal drugs from these alleged drug houses will be targeted by this Bill, and Judges will have no discretion to consider their circumstances * but must sentence them to one year for the first offence and a mandatory five for subsequent offences".

This Bill is a blunt and ineffective instrument in fighting the blatant drug problem in Cabramatta according to Cr Ngo.

"All we're doing is throwing more and more people in gaol, that's not the answer to the drug problem" concluded Cr Ngo.

ENDS