House of Assembly: Wednesday, February 15, 2017

Contents

Alcohol and Other Drug Strategy

Mr DULUK (Davenport) (15:01): My question is to the Minister for Substance Abuse. Will the minister acknowledge that the government's Alcohol and Other Drug Strategy 2011-16 has failed to reduce demand and the harms associated with substance abuse in light of the police commissioner's view to budget and estimates last year when he said:

I think it is also fair to say that there is an increased incidence of the presence of illicit substances within the community…

The SPEAKER: If you ask a question as rhetorical as that, you will probably get a rhetorical answer. I hope there won't be any objection to that.

The Hon. L.A. VLAHOS (Taylor—Minister for Disabilities, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse) (15:01): Considering I wasn't present and I haven't had the opportunity of reading the Hansard that you have quoted, I would like to think about that before I give a more fulsome answer, but I would be happy to say that the vast majority of the strategies put forward under that document were met. We looked at them and I have told the house that before. The member for Davenport repeatedly misrepresents the outcomes of that strategy and selectively reads.