Keep cash from addicts' hands
By Alison Rehn, Political Reporter
November 19, 2007 12:00am
BUREAUCRATS would take control of the welfare payments of anyone convicted of a criminal drug offence if the Coalition is re-elected on Saturday.
Prime Minister John Howard said under the $20 million plan, anyone convicted of offences involving hard drugs - such as heroin, cocaine and amphetamines - would only be able to use their welfare cheques to pay the bills and buy food and other essentials.
"It's not right that people should have control of taxpayer money when they have been convicted of such offences," Mr Howard said.
"And this will mean they are not able to spend the money on those sorts of drugs or indeed, for that matter, on alcohol and tobacco."
The laws would affect welfare payments of 6000 people.
The laws represent an extension of the Government's tough rules applied to Aboriginal and family welfare payments which came into force earlier in the year.
In this case the Government quarantined just 50 per cent of the payments so recipients could spend the welfare on food and essential bills.
The states will have to provide Centrelink with details of people convicted of drug offences in their courts.
Centrelink would then quarantine 100 per cent of their welfare payments and immediately refer the person to rehabilitation services to help them quit drug habits.
The welfare quarantining will begin in December 2008 and cover anyone convicted of a drug offence from that date.
While the policy will initially cover convictions for drugs such as heroin, cocaine and amphetamines Mr Howard said it may be later extended to cover people using other drugs such as cannabis.
Under the plan payments would be put on welfare cards that could be used to purchase food at supermarkets.
Monthly interviews with case managers would ensure the essential bills of welfare recipients were paid regularly, the Coalition said. Mr Howard and Treasurer Peter Costello fronted the media together in Sydney yesterday to present a united front on their war on drugs.
"We want to send the most uncompromising message to the Australian public," Mr Howard said. "We are the zero tolerance Coalition when it comes to drugs."
Mr Howard revealed a Coalition government would expand employment assistance for people with substance abuse problems to help them get a job.
Eligibility for job capacity account services, which provide support to overcome barriers to work due to substance abuse, will be extended from 13 weeks to up to 26 weeks.
If elected, Mr Howard said he would also work with the state and territory governments to introduce nationally consistent penalties for illicit drug offences.
In total, the Coalition's new tough-on-drugs measures would cost $36 million over four years.
The Australian Medical Association president Dr Rosanna Capolingua said the AMA did not support schemes that punished drug users.
"Punitive measures for drug addicts are not really the answer," Dr Capolingua said.
"People who have a drug addiction actually need help, support and assistance as they are actually unwell."
Dr Capolingua said she had not seen details of the plan but suggested it may be more appropriate for drug dealers.
For drug users, education campaigns that sent a message that drugs were harmful and strong rehabilitation programs were needed, she said.
