Ice Addiction

Mr BELL (Mount Gambier) (15:29): I rise to talk about an issue affecting regional South Australia, that is, the increase in the use of ice or crystal methamphetamine. A report out this week has indicated a 150 per cent increase in the use of ice in rural and regional areas. Research undertaken by the Flinders University has shown that ice usage has more than doubled over a six-year period, with young males being the main users. It is deeply concerning to me to read those reports.

In representing the region of Mount Gambier and the seat of Mount Gambier, I am calling on the government to work in a bipartisan way with our federal colleagues and the state opposition to find solutions to this problem. The research shows that men aged between 18 and 24 are the most frequent users. Interestingly, in regional areas, ice use is most frequent among those from a trade background or those actually in employment, as opposed to the city areas, where a larger representation are unemployed.

This first came to my attention when I first got into my role as the member for Mount Gambier. A lady by the name of Karen Judd came and spoke to me in detail about her son Jay's fight with ice. Unfortunately, he lost his battle a couple of years ago, and she has continued the cause. From her firsthand perspective, the reality is that our current measures are not working. She related a story to me that locking up her son actually extended his network of suppliers and also clients going forward, so I do not believe that putting young addicts in gaol is the answer.

On the Limestone Coast, we have only one full-time equivalent from Drug and Alcohol Services South Australia. That person is expected to cover the entire Limestone Coast region, from Keith and Bordertown right down to Port MacDonnell and everywhere in between, from the coast to the border. It is simply not enough. The federal government has committed $300 million to tackling this issue, and I would like to call on the Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse to report to this parliament, instead of some of the questions that we get from the government side, on what we are doing as a state to look after our young people who are afflicted by this epidemic. It is calculated that 200,000 Australians have used the drug ice, and we need to be doing a lot more than we currently are.

I believe that the federal government has $4 million to put towards a solution in the regional areas, but we need to have that being worked on and tabled as a plan that works. Sweden has a very successful mandatory drug rehabilitation program where it is mandated that those affected by ice, instead of going into the prison system, go into mandatory rehabilitation. I would like to see that expanded.

We have very few options for those families who come to my office and talk to me about this drug ruining their family unit and their young person's life. I call on this government to start making sure that some of the deals on proceeds of crime, particularly those from drug dealers, go into paying for these rehab centres, or at least contribute to the federal government's $300 million to put a solution in place. I do not have the solutions, but I am willing to work with the government to facilitate this in the best interests of our young people in regional South Australia.