Editorial: The Australian 26 Nov 01: Petrol-sniffing scourge needs urgent action

Editorial: Petrol-sniffing scourge needs urgent action

November 26, 2001

RADICAL action must be taken, and fast, to tackle the epidemic of petrol-sniffing that is killing children and destroying what remains of Aboriginal communities ravaged by decades of this sinister form of substance abuse. As Paul Toohey reported in The Weekend Australian Magazine, in towns such as South Australia's Pukatja – recognised as the town with the most blatant petrol-sniffing problem ever on Aboriginal land – sniffers wander freely in lawless streets. Six have died in Pukatja in the past 18 months, but there's no treatment program. A culture of nihilism has been allowed to take hold in towns where life is so hopeless it is deemed nearly worthless. Addicts are raising children in this high-risk environment, and relatives and even parents are acting as dealers or sources of money. But the white political and intellectual establishment, and some Aboriginal leaders, have washed their hands of the problem. The state has virtually withdrawn from Aboriginal trust-held land such as the Anangu-Pitjantjatjara Lands, taking with it law enforcement. As community development officer Peter Morrison says: "If it was white kids sniffing petrol, they'd bring in the army tomorrow."
Governments, community leaders and, indeed, all Australians, cannot ignore the images of young sniffers holding cans of fuel to their faces, roaming Pukatja's desolate streets. It is a national disgrace that in our affluent land, in the 21st century, there are "nine-year-old girls sniffing petrol and being pack-raped". So what can the state provide? Law and order would be a start. There is no police presence in areas such as the Anangu-Pitjantjatjara Lands and Aboriginal police aides are virtually powerless against the sniffers. Police find it difficult to do much when petrol-sniffing attracts only a $100 fine. Governments at state and national level must set aside differences, and urgently come up with a co-ordinated response. Indigenous Affairs Minister Philip Ruddock should make this issue a top priority. We must be prepared to commit substantial resources to fix the problem. But the will to change needs to come from the people living in these communities who must also take responsibility for their future.
The answer lies in a mixed approach of prohibiting behaviour that wouldn't be tolerated on the streets of most Australian suburbs, rehabilitation through well-resourced treatment programs, and community action plans that are developed with the support of government. As Noel Pearson argues, until substance abuse is rooted out, Aboriginal communities cannot survive, let alone combat violence, abuse within families, and appalling health and education. Cracking down on petrol-sniffers and drunks is essential to restore order and begin the rebuilding process. Radical solutions, such as bringing in the army, ought to be considered. Psychologist Craig San Roque says that "despite the possible repugnance for things military by soft-hearted advocates of reconciliation and indigenous welfare, the army actually has appeal to many indigenous people". The isolation and disadvantage suffered by Aboriginal Australians living on traditional lands is undoubtedly a factor. The majority of the Aboriginal population in Pukatja are not petrol-sniffers, nor are they drunks. But they are welfare-dependent. If the traditional lands are to survive, economic empowerment is vital. In January this year, The Australian told the story of Walter and Topsy Pukatiwara, whose two sons had been incapacitated and confined to wheelchairs because of sniffing. This led to the Prime Minister in April pledging $1 million from the tough-on-drugs strategy. Unbelievably, the money is yet to be spent. The time for bureaucratic wrangling is over. We simply cannot stand by passively while communities rot and children die.
From: http://theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,3316270%255E7583,00.html

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"If it was white kids sniffing petrol, they'd bring in the army tomorrow."

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Radical solutions, such as bringing in the army, ought to be considered

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