Media Statement For immediate release Tuesday, 25 November, 2003

Alexander: Women's refuges fill, get real about P

United Future law and order spokesman Marc Alexander today renewed his call for a clamp-down on the gangs distributing the drug P, as women's refuges run out of room for the victims of P-fuelled violence.

"Battered women filling the nation's refuges to overflowing is just one more symptom of a drug epidemic fuelled by gang greed.

"And with those battered women, you can guarantee there are traumatised children.

"And why? Because we, as a society, tolerate gangs destroying lives and destroying families."

Police figures confirm that up to 95 percent of the P trade is gang-driven.

United Future recently launched an initiative modelled on Australian gang-busting legislation that would confiscate the property and money of gangs and their members if they could not prove that it was legally obtained.

"Just how many more stories like this is it going to have to take before the Government and society gets serious about this issue?" Mr Alexander asked.

Ends.

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