The Wire

This week, for the first time ever, unsniffable Opal fuel will be available in Alice Springs – that’s a town that has one of the highest rates of substance abuse in the country. Opal fuel is government subsidised and, until now, was only available in selected communities that filled government criteria. But this week it will roll out to eight of Alice Springs’ 13 petrol stations, with the rest to follow shortly. The move, being funded by the Federal government, comes on the back of a long-run campaign by indigenous groups to have non-sniffable fuel rolled out across Central Australia.