grodscorp@grods.comAll stick and no carrot
 | Posted by The Editor on Sunday 18 November 2007, 2:48 pm Categories: Australia Decides '07 Tags: addiction, drugs, JohnHoward, welfare |
John Howard’s latest “zero tolerance” drugs policy:
People convicted of criminal offences involving heroin, cocaine or amphetamines would have welfare payments quarantined under a new scheme announced by Prime Minister John Howard today.
Mr Howard says under the plan, payments would be quarantined for at least a year and the Government would fund extra job training for people with substance abuse problems.
Let me just get something straight before I drown under the avalanche of “latte lefty” insults: drug addiction is a terrible problem in our communities and we must do all that we can to prevent the crimes that result from drug addiction.
BUT!
Drug addicts deserve all the help that we can give them to beat their addiction and rejoin mainstream society in a mutually productive fashion. Cutting off welfare payments, in isolation, does nothing to increase their chances of doing so. Instead of throwing a few extra dollars at Job Network why don’t we boost funding to medical programs that specifically work to beat drug addiction and make welfare payments conditional on participation in those programs?
UPDATE: The Australian National Council on Drugs is also sceptical about JHo’s dog whistle stupidity.
Australian National Council on Drugs executive director Gino Vumbaca says there is a risk that drug users would resort to crime or other means to pay for their habits.
He says if the policy is to be effective it would need to be accompanied by extra funding for treatment and rehabilitation programs.
GrodsThink Ep.31 (16/9/08)
Sunday 18 November 2007, 3:56 pm #Dave from Albury
In unrelated news, shares in Cash Converters have risen today on the back of news that they expect to see an increase in the supply of DVD players, laptop computers and car stereos.
Sunday 18 November 2007, 4:50 pm #Bruce
So true, Dave.
Sunday 18 November 2007, 5:04 pm #invig
My take is on my blog.
Sunday 18 November 2007, 6:16 pm #Dave from Albury
I just watched Ch Seven news, the drug policy didn’t even get a mention.
Sunday 18 November 2007, 11:06 pm #Mikey
Exactly Dave. When you take money away from the poorest of the poor they tend to find it elsewhere. Such as dealing or selling their bodies etc.
It’s a moronic policy from a moronic government. I think it’s there so they can actually back their ‘we’re tough on crime’ stance (unless of course its price fixing).