Zak Kirkup has announced a Liberal Government will introduce Australia’s harshest penalties for meth dealers to get them off the streets and behind bars as punishment for a drug scourge that is destroying the lives of so many West Australians.
Mr Kirkup, the Liberal leader, said the tougher mandatory minimum sentences were necessary to send a strong message to criminals in the fight against drugs.
“Bringing in Australia’s toughest mandatory minimum sentences for meth dealers will make sure that these criminals are taken off our streets and spend more time in prison,” Mr Kirkup said.
“West Australians are sick and tired of seeing meth dealers getting arrested by police and then returning back to their evil ways within days or weeks of the arrest.
“These dealers are destroying the lives of West Australians. The Liberals have listened to the community, who want these criminals behind bars to stem the supply of drugs, and to also give families a fighting chance to help rehabilitate their addicted relatives and friends.
“Our commitment for Australia’s harshest penalties for meth dealers complements our plan to boost WA’s Police Force with an extra 1200 officers, which will help them fight the scourge of drugs in the community and reduce record levels of violent crime.
“This is part of the Liberals’ plan for a safer WA. The Liberals will keep you safe from COVID-19, safe in your home and community and safe in your job.”
Shadow Minister for Police and Justice Peter Katsambanis said the Liberals were sending a powerful warning to meth dealers, who if convicted of possessing more than 200 grams faced a minimum sentence of 15 years.
“A Liberal Government will make sure that all meth dealers face jail time on conviction, with the toughest penalties in the nation,” Mr Katsambanis said.
The mandatory minimum sentences that will apply, depending on the amount of drugs seized, will be:
- Level 1 – Up to 10 grams – minimum sentence of one year;
- Level 2 – From 10 grams to 50 grams – minimum sentence of 5 years;
- Level 3 – From 50 grams to 200 grams – minimum sentence of 10 years; and
- Level 4 – More than 200 grams – minimum sentence of 15 years.
“These tough new laws are exactly what the current Labor Government promised to introduce in 2017 but have failed to deliver in the past four years,” Mr Katsambanis said.
“Labor even blocked attempts by the Liberal Party to introduce tough mandatory minimum jail terms for meth dealers.
“Under Labor’s watch, meth dealing has continued to be a scourge on every community across Western Australia, with frustrated neighbours regularly reporting the prevalence of drug houses in their local streets.
“Local police are fighting a losing battle when the very same dealers they arrest return to the streets and back to dealing meth, continuing to destroy the lives of so many people.
“By introducing these tough new mandatory minimum sentences, we hope that many would-be meth dealers will be deterred from pursuing this life of crime and will consider doing something more productive with their lives.
“For those meth dealers that don’t change their ways, we are sending a very clear and powerful message: You will face a very long time in jail.
“The Liberals want to give our hard-working police a fighting chance to defeat this terrible scourge by getting meth off our streets for good.
“We also want to allow addicts and their families to seek the treatment they desperately need without the fear that the meth dealer will lure them back to the destructive pathway of addiction.
“Given Labor’s broken promise to get tough with meth dealers, West Australians know that only the Liberal Party can be trusted to make sure that meth dealers spend a long time in jail and our community can get a genuine chance to fight and eliminate the meth scourge that is destroying the lives of far too many people.”