hoptis
Bluelight Crew
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- May 1, 2002
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Couldn't find a thread for QLD but it seems that roadside drug testing is headed your way too.
Courier-Mail
EDIT: (24/09/2006) Thread renamed for consistency with other roadside drug testing threads. hoptis
DNA may be held
By Richard Finnila
September 18, 2006 12:00am
QUEENSLAND motorists who are tested for drug driving could find their details added to the national DNA database.
The State Government plans to roll out random roadside tests within the next 10 months.
But the details of what police will do with the DNA mouth swabs is yet to be decided.
Police Minister Judy Spence said she was open to the idea of holding the information in a bid to help solve crimes.
"That is not the intention, however the legislation is still being developed," Ms Spence said. "I'm interested in hearing from the community about what they think.
"The DNA database has been successful in cracking unsolved crime."
National president of the Council of Civil Liberties Terry O'Gorman slammed the idea.
"We are totally opposed to swab tests being used for any purpose other than that," Mr O'Gorman said. "If it is used for DNA databank it is sneaky and underhanded."
Mr O'Gorman said libertarians fully supported roadside drug testing, but wanted the DNA evidence deleted from record immediately after use.
"This information should be discarded straight away or quarantined while being used for a court case away from criminal investigators," Mr O'Gorman said.
"It should only be kept specifically for drug driving cases. Queensland has got to make sure it gets this right."
Liberal leader Bruce Flegg said while he supported roadside drug testing, he was not sure the community was ready for random DNA testing.
"Random DNA testing is a big step from drug testing," he said.
"We would need an informed community debate.
"On the surface it could be a crime fighting method, but as we know there are some things that are not so apparent on the surface."
Dr Flegg said he was unsure the community would warm to the idea.
The mouth swab will be able to determine whether a driver has used marijuana within the past two hours, or heroin, cocaine or amphetamines within five hours.
Surveys by insurer AAMI found nearly 25 per cent of young motorists across the state have admitted to driving under the influence of drugs.
Queensland follows Victoria in introducing random drug driving tests.
Victoria police launched the drug detection trial on December 13, 2004, and in the first year tested 10,546 drivers and charged 213 people for driving under the influence of drugs.
Courier-Mail
EDIT: (24/09/2006) Thread renamed for consistency with other roadside drug testing threads. hoptis
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