Petrol postcards for the PM
The Prime Minister is again being urged to make non-sniffable Opal the only fuel in the Central Desert region, in a new campaign by reconciliation group ANTaR and The Greens. It comes just two weeks after an NT Coronial report criticized the government for ignoring the recommendations of three previous inquests. After investigating the deaths of three young Aboriginal men who died from inhaling petrol, NT Coroner Greg Cavanagh called the Howard government to support a universal roll-out of Opal in Central Australia. Meanwhile, there have been reports that the Red Centre recently witnessed 8 attempted suicides in communities affected by petrol sniffing – in the space of just one week. Senator BROWN says a blanket introduction of non-sniffable fuel in the Central Desert is not a big ask. ANTaR National Director Dr David Cooper says there are currently more than 700 people addicted to petrol sniffing in Central Australia. He says the situation has reached crisis point and many communities just aren’t coping.