Grievance Debate

CEDUNA, ALCOHOL ABUSE

Mr TRELOAR (Flinders) (15:08): I rise today to speak on an issue that has been highlighted in the media over the last couple of weeks, and it is a very difficult issue to put into the public arena and discuss, but it is a rather sad and tragic tale of continual and devastating alcohol abuse amongst a relatively small number of people living on the far west coast of this state.

Unfortunately, it would appear that there are about 75 hardcore drinkers in and around the township of Ceduna. These people are not necessarily locals to the town of Ceduna but certainly have found themselves within the district, and are invariably unemployed, reliant upon welfare and ultimately are chronic alcoholics and indeed spend a good part of their day either seeking out or consuming alcohol.

The reason that it has been highlighted is that it has become such a social issue that the community and town of Ceduna are having to take drastic steps in an attempt to deal with this. I would like to congratulate the local council in their efforts to manage this problem. I would like to congratulate their local mayor, Allan Suter, in leading his council and his community in an effort to address this. I would also like to congratulate and thank the police who are involved at Ceduna for their efforts in attempting to maintain some sort of social structure in a very difficult situation. I also acknowledge the various government departments who are responsible for accessing government funding streams and also for delivery of service.

I would suggest that sometimes the focus is on inputs rather than outcomes with regard to government funding. That has been a challenge and a difficulty over many years. In fact, my comment often has been that a number of governments, of both persuasions, over many years have put much money towards addressing the problems relating to chronic alcohol abuse within remote and isolated communities. Despite those best intentions and vast amounts of money, it would seem that in 2013 things are coming to a head once again and, in fact, nothing has changed.

In the township of Ceduna, things came to a head once again about two years ago when a pedestrian unfortunately became a road victim. A person was walking along Goode Road, if my memory serves me correctly, and was unfortunately knocked down and later died. That brought about a Coroner's inquiry and that Coroner's inquiry ultimately handed down some findings. One of the findings was that the sobering up clinic that existed in Ceduna and was adjacent to the Ceduna hospital should be upgraded and the number of beds increased.

In fact, that did come to pass. Originally the sobering up clinic consisted of some five beds. It has been increased in number to 21 beds but, of course, what has happened is that it is often running at nearly full capacity. No matter how many beds were there, the capacity would be nearly full. Sadly I read in the press that people who are attending the sobering up clinic regularly blow around .3 into the breathalyser. That particular machine has a maximum reading of .4 and occasionally those who come into the clinic blow the maximum of .4. Anecdotal evidence is rife. One particular attendee at the sobering up clinic, when asked for his address, in fact gave the sobering up clinic as his address.

My job here today is really just to highlight and put on the public record our concern for the situation in Ceduna. The plight is for the entire community. The plight is not just for those people who are chronically abusing alcohol; there is also the social despair and discord that it brings with it. The spiral is only too well known to members here. There is alcohol abuse, family breakdown, violence and apathy towards those involved. It is a difficult situation and one that needs consideration, and I would implore governments in the future to take a bipartisan approach and make a really serious, concentrated effort in addressing this problem.

Time expired.