7 years ago
FORMER FEDERAL POLICE COMMISSIONER SAYS TURNBULL’S DRUG TESTING TRIAL WON’T WORK
HON JENNY MACKLIN MP
Former Australian Federal Police Commissioner, Mick Palmer, has criticised the Turnbull Government’s proposed drug testing trial of social security recipients, stating on radio this morning:
“To me, it’s pretty stark, this can only aggravate an already serious problem and make far more vulnerable those people who already need much more help than they’re now getting.”
Mick Palmer, Former Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police, RN Breakfast.
Mr Palmer also indicated that the drug testing trial could lead to more crime, saying:
It certainly hasn’t got much chance of reducing crime. It does have the potential in some cases to aggravate it [crime].”
Mick Palmer was the Commissioner of Australian Federal Police from 1994-2001 and played a key role in John Howard’s so-called ‘War on Drugs’.
Mr Palmer is the latest expert to say that the Turnbull Government’s drug testing trial won’t work and risks increasing crime in the community.
Nobody doubts that we face significant problems with drug addiction in the community, but there is no evidence that this trial will work.
Doctors, health professionals, addiction medicine specialists, community organisations and now a former Australian Federal Police Commissioner all say it won’t work.
Mr Turnbull needs to listen to the experts and dump this expensive trial that simply will not work.
Labor calls on the Senate to reject this measure.