NEEDLED BY APATHY

ACCORDING to the news our Prime Minister wants "a wider debate on the
heroin problem in Australia".

I am afraid that it is a little late in the day, or century, for
debates on that problem here.

A number of public-minded people, including myself, were calling for
public meetings in WA on this very thing in 1971, but we were met with
apathy and only a few people turned up.

Among those was one who said: "Nah, it could never happen here, for
our kids are too interested in keeping fit by running on the beaches."

Where are we now Mr Prime Minister?

Heroin is here now and we are stuck with it.

Alex Mason,
Forrestfield.