THIN BLUE LINE ACHIEVES MUCH IN WAR ON DRUG IMPORTS

Australian Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty describes in
today's Sunday Times how the work of federal agents offshore is
protecting the vital interests of Australians at home. Since a major
heroin seizure in Fiji last year, drug imports into Australia have
slowed. True, other drugs are still being trafficked into Australia
and we don't know yet the full implications for our most vulnerable
people, the young.

This can only be seen as a magnificent achievement in a world where
there has been no good news for 50 years.

We can see how good policing strategies can have far-reaching effects
for our society, the beneficiaries being those invisible victims
whose lives may no longer be disrupted or destroyed by drugs and
crime. Mr Keelty is quite justified in applauding the efforts of his
agents and the successes from their smart work in intelligence, often
in lonely and dangerous circumstances.

By building ties with our near neighbours in Asia and the Pacific
they are helping to widen the front line of Australia's defences. The
work of the AFP outside Australia often goes unrecognised. Yet even
now there are 123 Australian police in a variety of peacekeeping
missions overseas with the United Nations, and liaison officers in
many other countries. It shows how globalised crime has become.

There are fears that unless our police succeed even further in
stemming the flow of amphetamines from Asia, we may yet face an
influx of dangerous manufactured drugs, such as ecstasy. But the
evident foresight and courage of the thin blue line gives hope to us
all.