Despite opposition from the Australian Federal Police (AFP) Commissioner Reece Kershaw, Daniel Andrews’ Labor Government has softened its stance on hard drugs, agreeing to consider a trial decriminalisation.
The Australian Christian Lobby’s (ACL) national director of politics, Wendy Francis said,
“The Andrews Government has given Clayton’s support to decriminalising drugs – the support you give when you don’t want to be seen as soft on crime.
“Approximately 3,000 Victorians contacted the Andrews Government this week in response to a campaign run by ACL, calling for Fiona Patten’s drug decriminalisation bill to be rejected. Her bill would see the possession of hard drugs such as heroin, ice and MDMA no longer treated as a criminal offence.
“After debate on the bill in Parliament this week, the Andrews Government has acquiesced and agreed to investigate decriminalising possession of certain amounts of these drugs.
“AFP Commissioner Kershaw recently said that to decriminalise drugs would make Australia ‘a far more dangerous environment’ for police. ‘It would become a more dangerous society and it wouldn’t be as safe as what we are enjoying today. For me, it would lead to chaos.’
“We call on the Victorian Government to heed the warning of Police Commissioner Kershaw, and thousands of concerned Victorians who contacted his office this week to reject Fiona Patten’s bill outright. To do less will roll out the red carpet for drug dealers and ensure that Victorians will be less safe.”
ENDS
