Labour should put 'P' law back on agenda

The Government should put its legislation for controlling the precursor chemicals for 'P' back on the agenda as a matter of urgency, says National's Justice & Corrections spokesman, Simon Power.

"Justice Minister Annette King has recommended to Cabinet that this legislation can wait for a year, but after watching One News last night, it's clear we can't wait that long.

"We must tackle this evil drug, and we must tackle it now – not in a year's time.

"Moves to control the precursor chemicals have the backing of the Chemical Industry Council and the police, who have been asking the Government for legislative controls 'due to declining levels of compliance with the voluntary code' – but Labour appears to not be listening.

"The Government must act now, though I am not hopeful, because its record on 'P' and on gangs, the drug's main manufacturers and distributors, has been pathetic.

"Labour has rejected or deferred far more measures to combat gangs than it has recommended, as revealed in a Cabinet paper from March.

"That paper reveals that Annette King said they should defer for up to a year tighter controls on precursor chemicals, despite saying she considers the establishment of controls over access to precursor chemicals used in methamphetamines 'of critical importance to any efforts to combat organised crime'.

"With that sort of confusion, it's not hard to see why Labour has done so little to tackle this drug.

"John Key has outlined a range of moves to bust the gangs and deal to 'P'.

"National will deliver where Labour hasn't."