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True Crime Australia Police & Courts NSW NSW poll shows majority support no jail for minor drug crime

New polling has found an overwhelming majority of NSW voters support drug reform, and are against people being jailed for minor drug crimes. See how your area rates.@

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3 min read August 13, 2021 - 8:42AM 32 comments

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An overwhelming 78 per cent of people in NSW are against jail and other criminal sanctions for people found in possession of small quantities of any drugs, with those in the Premier’s seat of Willoughby among the most supportive.

New polling across ﬁve electorates including that of Willougby and other coalition heartlands has also revealed that 65 per cent of people would rather those found in possession of drugs were cautioned or referred for treatment rather than ﬁned.

Polling found that 73 per cent of Liberal/National voters were against custodial options for drug possession and 54 per cent favoured no action. Picture: Richard Dobson

Among Ms Berejiklian’s constituents, a massive 81.9 per cent support non-custodial sentences for heroin possession and 85.8 per cent support non-custodial sentences for possessing methamphetamine, or ice.

The ﬁgures showed that politicians would be supported by their electorates if they backed reforms to the state’s drug laws, the president of the NSW Bar Association Michael McHugh SC said yesterday.

“There has been push back to drug law reform across political lines notwithstanding widespread support for change,” Mr McHugh said.

“Some politicians have said they cannot support drug law reform because their constituents would not support it. This shows they would.”

The survey was commissioned by Uniting NSW and ACT which spearheads the Fair Treatment Campaign for fairer drugs laws. It covered the covered the electorates of Willoughby, Parramatta, Monaro, Coffs Harbour and Baulkham Hills.

The survey was conducted by the independent polling group, uComms in June.

Mr McHugh said it shows support for drug law reform for all drugs, even ice, with the government due to respond soon to the ﬁndings of its Special Commission of Inquiry into the Drug Ice. The inquiry recommended making ice pipes legal and decriminalising the personal use of ice.

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“Drug dealers should go to jail but this is about personal use and people with a drug problem should be treated not punished because the revolving door of the criminal justice system is not working,” Mr McHugh said.

The polling found the majority of constituents supported drug law reforms.

The Bar Assocation is one of he 65 members of the Fair Treatment Campaign and has been pushing for drug law reform since the mid-70s,

Advertisement The polling found that 73 per cent of Liberal/National voters said they were against custodial options for drug possession and 54 per cent favoured no action, a caution or referral to education or treatment rather than a ﬁne or We can invest your super community service order. in ways no other fund can

Uniting NSW and ACT said the results showed the government should be bolder in reforming the state’s drug LEARN HOW laws.

“The Government’s rumoured three strikes policy would provide more alternatives to criminal consequences for people who use drugs in more circumstances that currently exist,” a Uniting spokesman said.

In the Premier’s seat of Willoughby, support for non- custodial (97 per cent) and non-pecuniary action for cannabis use (i.e., ﬁnes) was overwhelming at 89 per cent. Also, more than eight out of 10 voters also supported non- custodial sentences for the possession of heroin (82 per cent) and ice (86 per cent).

Large numbers of Australia’s prison population are incarcerated due to drug- related crime. Picture: Toby Zerna

In Sydney’s geographic heart of Parramatta, 73 per cent supported non-custodial options for heroin use and possession, 78 per cent for ecstasy and 69 per cent for ice.

In the Nationals’ heartland of Monaro, 77 per cent supported non-custodial options for the possession and use of ecstasy, 68 per cent for heroin and 62 per cent for ice.

In the Police Minister’s own electorate of Baulkham Hills 72 per cent supported non-custodial options for heroin use and possession, 78 per cent for ecstasy and 70 per cent for ice.

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Attorney-General Mark Speakman was adamant that the government will not decriminalise drugs but he did acknowledge that a health response was needed.

“If we’re going to tackle addiction and address drug use, a health response, not just a criminal justice response, is required,” Mr Speakman said on Thursday.

“To tackle this scourge, the government established a powerful Special Commission of Inquiry into the drug 'Ice'. The government is carefully considering the Inquiry’s recommendations.

“The Government is committed to supporting individuals, their More families and communities Coverage impacted by illicit drugs.” Fears Sydney woman found dead had Covid

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