NEWS: The West Australian - 12/11/07 'Qld govt to get tougher on drugs'

Qld govt to get tougher on drugs
12th November 2007, 15:50 WST

The Queensland government is boosting penalties for possessing, supplying and trafficking a range of dangerous drugs under new laws to go to state parliament this week.

State cabinet on Monday approved amendments to the Drugs Misuse Act, which will be introduced in the final parliamentary session for the year starting on Tuesday.

Under the bill, maximum jail penalties for possessing, supplying and trafficking the drugs ecstasy (MDMA) and death (PMA) will be increased from 20 to 25 years.

"Under the bill, the schedule two drugs, ecstasy and death, will be reclassified as schedule one drugs, which carry greater penalties," Premier Anna Bligh said.

"Valium and Serapax, as well as drugs previously in schedule 2A of the laws, such as steroids, Rohypnol and ephedrine, would be added to schedule two, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years' jail for unlawful possession, supply or trafficking."

Attorney-General Kerry Shine said in addition to reclassifying a range of drugs, the government would introduce a new concept known as "analogue" into law.

"It will mean that drugs which are not named in the schedules, but have similar structure and pharmacological effect, will attract the same penalties," Mr Shine said.

The bill will also create new offences for the supply and production of substances such as pseudoephedrine, and equipment used in the production of dangerous drugs like pill presses.

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Eight from 10 drug dealers dodge jail time
By Steven Wardill
November 13, 2007 12:00pm

EIGHT out of 10 convicted drug dealers are being let off without jail time by Queensland's courts.

Damning new figures reveal 5479 people have been convicted of serious trafficking, production or supplying offences since July 2005.

But just 938 were made to serve time behind bars while the rest were handed suspended sentences, intensive correction orders or a fine.

The figures - contained in a response by the Attorney-General Kerry Shine to a question on notice from the Opposition - also show the courts have failed to give a single drug dealer the maximum penalty of 25 years.

Coalition justice spokesman Mark McArdle yesterday condemned the low rate of imprisonment, saying jailing drug dealers was about protecting young people from a life of abuse.

"If we are going to be serious about stopping drugs and saving young people, we have got to make sure people who peddle in death are dealt with severely," he said.

"The fact that no one has got the maximum penalty highlights an inability... to establish clear parameters that, if you are going to deal in these substances, you are going to spend a long time in jail."

However, the Attorney-General said sentencing was a matter of judicial discretion and judges had to take into account the circumstances of the case and the defendant.

"There are so many different circumstances in the supply of drugs," he said. "It could be the Mr Bigs supplying or it could be siblings supplying to other siblings.

"The circumstances vary so much and we believe the best people to determine what sentence should be imposed in this, and other areas of the law, should be judges."

The figures came as the State Government yesterday talked up its efforts in the war on drugs by re-announcing plans for new maximum penalties for illicit substances such as ecstasy and ice.

The new laws - to be introduced in Parliament this week - will re-classify ecstasy and another drug, "death", as Schedule 1 drugs, which will carry greater penalties.

The Government will also introduce a the concept of "analogue" into the Drugs Misuse Act, meaning that substances with a similar chemical structure and pharmacological effect will carry the same penalties.

Mr Shine said politicians were telling the judiciary the community felt offences were serious by increasing maximum penalties.

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If QLD removes its drug diversion program I think this Bligh bitch needs to be shot

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