Source: Herald Sun (Australia) Contact: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/ Copyright: News Limited 1998 Pubdate: Sat, 21 Nov 1998 Author: Tanya Giles RAVE PARTY CRACKDOWN WELCOMED A POLICE plan for a national crackdown on rave and dance parties has been welcomed by community groups. Rave organisers and party-goers said yesterday they supported a clean-up of the industry, which is rife with deadly designer drugs. Sources said yesterday up to 85 per cent of young people who attended rave parties indulged in drugs such as ecstasy and speed. The action plan, revealed by the Herald Sun, would see undercover and uniformed police swoop on the popular parties and arrest suspected drug dealers. Rave-party organisers may also have to install metal detectors to check for weapons and laughing-gas "bulbs". Safety measures ensuring that party-goers had access to adequate water to prevent dehydration and that qualified first-aid workers were on hand could also be introduced. The proposal has been backed by Australia's police ministers, who met in Sydney on Thursday to examine ways to stop the spread of designer drugs. Victorian Police Minister Bill McGrath said the recent deaths of young people from drugs such as ecstasy, fantasy and ice had put all states on alert. "We don't want our young people dying," Mr McGrath said. Rave party organiser Angelo Xaros, of Hardware Productions, said he supported the proposed health safety measures but was concerned about a police presence. He said his company already searched party-goers, had "chill out" areas, provided entertainment apart from dancing and had first-aid officers on duty. Rave Safe spokesman Michael Arnold supported the proposal but said he was worried the blitz could drive the designer drug scene further underground. He said rave parties provided a "safe and positive environment" where young people could take drugs such as ecstasy, LSD and cannabis. Designer drugs first came to prominence in Australia with the death of New South Wales schoolgirl Anna Wood in 1995. Anna, 15, overdosed on ecstasy at a rave party. - --- Checked-by: Don Beck