Francis reveals drug comment support

Jandakot MLA Joe Francis has revealed he has received overwhelming support to comments he made in State Parliament branding unemployed youth in Kwinana and Rockingham ‘‘drug-taking bums’’.

On Monday, Mr Francis said of the 51 emails he had received about his comments, more than 90 per cent had been of support.

‘‘I’ve received 48 emails across the State from people of support, generally saying well done for telling it how it is,’’ he said.

Mr Francis said he received three emails arguing against his comments, in which he claimed unemployment in Rockingham, Kwinana and Cockburn was a social issue and a problem.

Recent statistics revealed youth unemployment in the south-west metropolitan area is 24.8 per cent, up 4.5 per cent on last year’s figures to April.

‘‘I didn’t make this stuff up,’’ Mr Francis said.

‘‘It is no surprise that the areas with a high unemployment rate are the areas with high drug use.

‘‘If roughly 10 per cent of the State smoke pot, you don’t have to be Einstein to work out a majority of those are unemployed.’’

Mr Francis said his comments were not just aimed at young people in Kwinana and Rockingham.

‘‘I mentioned the Kwinana strip, because that’s what the Labor Party kept banging on about,’’ he said.

‘‘I could have made the same observation about Mirrabooka.’’

The outspoken MLA said the response from the public was the most correspondence he had received on any issue and would keep the issue of youth unemployment in the public arena.