“The Federal Parliament must be given the appropriate opportunity to scrutinise and debate legislation dealing with the importation of performance enhancing drugs in sport,” Shadow Sports Minister, Senator Kate Lundy, said today.
“Senator Vanstone is trying to push through the Customs Legislation Amendment (Criminal sanctions and Other Measures) Bill as an ‘all or nothing’ vote without allowing proper examination and debate.
“This complex legislation will, amongst other things, permit videotaped strip-searches, sampling of human tissues for biological testing and the opening of personal mail by customs officers.
“These serious matters require proper scrutiny by the Parliament. We are not going to support this legislation in toto just because Senator Vanstone has been unable to properly manage her legislative timetable.
“It’s not as if she didn’t know the Olympics were coming up.
“The Labor Party has a proud record of tackling drugs in sport.
“It was Labor that introduced the original legislation establishing the Australian Sports Drug Agency (ASDA) – which was a world first for the establishment of a drug agency under government legislation.
“We want to have a drug free Olympics but we also want proper debate and scrutiny of legislation that has significant implications both in terms of criminal sanctions and civil liberty issues”, Senator Lundy said.
109/99.Contact: Simon Tatz on 02-6277 3334 or 0418 488295
