DRUG WAR MONEY COULD BE BETTER SPENT

IT is a fairly large sum of money, $516,000,000. In fact, it is enough to
create 2580 jobs at $400 a week for 10 years, or enough to build both inner
road and the external freeway for Albury.

But this money is to be poured into a campaign which has already spawned
endless inquiries, and committee after committee which have already
swallowed millions of dollars and achieved very little result, other than
providing a forum for ``learned'' persons and verbose do-gooders, who seem
to have the ability to convince our politicians that they know best in
supplying free needles and safe injecting rooms.

To myself and, I believe, many other Australians, this seems to promote
drug use, while swallowing millions of dollars as the problem continues to
escalate.

I may not agree with John Howard's policies, but I believe he is sincere in
his belief that parents are the people who can convince their children as
to the dangers in drug use.

But I also believe that the ability of parents to have meaningful dialogue
with their children has for many years been eroded by policies formulated
by academics.

While they may obtain diplomas etc, they have not had the practical
experience of raising children.

These same people have had the ear of governments of both political
persuasions, and no doubt influenced decisions on the rights of children,
as against the rights of parents.

These decisions have, and still are, devastating many families, with
children refusing to accept the authority or proper advice offered by parents.

Their right to do so is endorsed by our Government and the legal system,
while the prime loving and learning years of a child's life has been
usurped by child ``care'' agencies, along with schools.

Some of these organisations are being used as cover for deviants to the
detriment of young children and teenagers.

These institutions can also be a prime place to brainwash and corrupt their
young charges.

Recently our Government has decreed that single parents will have to
actively seek employment, or attend either training classes or work for the
dole.

This in turn means that these parents will have to hand control of their
children to child care centres, where they will be subject to the whims of
the carer.

The result is a loss of parental bonding and guidance of a home environment
in the majority of cases.

Is our Government fair dinkum or are these words from our PM spoken just to
show they are doing something, however futile it may be?

I believe this money would do more good if used to erect no frill maximum
security prisons in remote areas.

Prisons where drug pedlars can serve out their full term and ponder their
past, while the big suppliers can also be held until execution.

If there were any money left over, let it be used for redundancy payments
for judges and magistrates who refuse to impose adequate sentences.

Only then we may see a reduction in the use of drugs.

KEN BULLIVANT, Albury