Cocaine detected in Parliament House
By Sharri Markson
June 12, 2005
From: Sunday Telegraph
COCAINE and other illegal drugs are widely used across Sydney, from restaurants and bars to sporting venues and even inside Parliament House.
The Sunday Telegraph found traces of drugs, including cocaine, opiates and cannabis, in the men's toilets outside the parliamentary offices of Opposition Leader John Brogden, National Party leader Andrew Stoner and Labor MPs.
Extensive tests conducted over three weeks by The Sunday Telegraph also found traces of drugs in the rest rooms at A-list restaurants after lunch and in a referees' change room at Aussie Stadium, which was easily accessible by members of the public, after a rugby league match.
The tests were carried out in 14 venues across Sydney with accredited surface DrugWipes, as used by Australian Customs and Victoria Police, that detect cocaine, amphetamines, opiates and cannabis.
The Sunday Telegraph investigation follows the arrest of 15 people last month over the alleged importation of 200kg of cocaine worth $30 million.
Senior police said the use of so-called recreational drugs is widespread but it tends to escape police notice. With heroin use comes problems such as street dealing, needles and property crime, but many cocaine users are otherwise law-abiding citizens and thus escape police notice.
The Federal Government's National Illicit Drug Strategy also ignores cocaine. Its television education campaign concentrates on amphetamines, ecstasy and marijuana because they are the most commonly used illegal drugs, but cocaine does not rate a mention.
In The Sunday Telegraph's investigation, cocaine was detected on Thursday night in the level 10 men's toilets outside Mr Brogden's office and traces of cannabis and opiates were found in the level 12 men's toilets outside the offices of Mr Stoner and Labor MPs.
Other tests conducted in Parliament House - in the toilets in the members' dining room, on level eight outside Premier Bob Carr's office and the Strangers' Bar - were negative.
In other tests, traces of illicit drugs were detected in A-list eateries including Icebergs at Bondi, Catalina at Rose Bay, Otto at Woolloomooloo and Wildfire at Circular Quay. Cocaine traces were also found in the referees' room, which was easily accessed, and the private members' toilets at Aussie Stadium after the Roosters played Manly last week.
The test results reveal that cocaine is no longer a drug reserved for cashed-up clubbers in the inner city or eastern suburbs - positive results were also found at Penrith Panthers, Carmens in Miranda and the Steyne Hotel, Manly.
The Sunday Telegraph does not suggest Premier Bob Carr, Mr Brogden, Mr Stoner or owners of the venues tested condone or are aware of the drug use taking place on their premises.
When told of the test results yesterday representatives from the venues expressed concern illicit drug use was taking place.
Mr Brogden said: "Hundreds of people work in Parliament House, and thousands visit during any week. I would be concerned if anyone was using illegal drugs in Parliament House."
A spokeswoman for Mr Carr said it was a matter for Parliament House Security and police.
She said a range of MPs, journalists and staff had access to the bathrooms in question.
Catalina owner Michael McMahon said if he ever found anyone using drugs on his premises he would evict them immediately.
Crime statistics expert Dr Don Weatherburn said cocaine use had surged recently, particularly in the past four months.
Police said the cocaine is entering Australia on ships and planes with the help of corrupt workers on the wharves and at airports.
Senior detectives estimate they are only finding, at most, about 10 to 20 per cent of the drugs being imported to Australia. Last month, police alleged one syndicate alone had successfully put 200kg of cocaine onto Sydney streets in just six months.
St Vincent's Hospital alcohol and drug service director Dr Alex Wodak said there was a large group of professionals for whom cocaine use is "normal".
"I would say in 2005 for people who are 25 and under, cocaine and other illegal drugs are part of their universe," he said.
"They don't regard them as abnormal or deviant. If most drug users set out to buy drugs or order a pizza, it would take the same amount of time."
Last year, about 775,000 people in Australia reported using cocaine, according to the National Household Drugs Survey. Dr Weatherburn, the director of the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics, warned that increased use of cocaine could trigger a rise in armed robberies.
"This is a matter of concern because big jumps in the use of cocaine often result in big jumps in robberies," he said.
National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre chief investigator Dr Louisa Degenhardt said recreational cocaine users are an expanding group.
She said: "These people are earning a good salary and aren't in trouble with the law".
Cocaine was found in restaurants across Sydney, where some patrons slip into the bathroom for a quick line of cocaine over lunch.
While the DrugWipe tests only detect powdered forms of illicit substances, police and drug experts said recreational users often take more than one type of drug, using ecstasy as well as cocaine.
