YOUTH DRUG AND ALCOHOL SERVICES

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (14:35): I seek leave to make an explanation before directing a question to the Minister for Youth on the subject of counselling in the South-East.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: On 30 June this year, the Weatherill government axed funding to the South East Drug and Alcohol Counselling Service, which was a highly successful service which had been operating in Mount Gambier for 20 years. It employed 4.0 FTEs to provide drug and alcohol counselling plus it had the use of an additional FTE from the South East Regional Community Health Service to deal solely with counselling youth—so, a total of five.

The government is now only providing funding for 1.4 FTEs, with one to come from the organisation Life Without Barriers and 0.4 from UnitingCare Wesley to do the job that was previously done by five, and there is no longer to be a designated youth drug and alcohol service in the South-East. My questions for the minister are:

1. According to government figures, there will be 1,440 hour-long appointments available in 2012-13. How many of those hours will be dedicated to youth services?

2. What capabilities does Life Without Barriers have in drug and alcohol counselling?

3. How much money has the government saved by abolishing a designated youth drug and alcohol service for the South-East?

4. How long is the contract for the new staffing arrangements?

5. Can the minister assure the South-East that no young person will be worse off under these new staffing arrangements?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion, Minister for Social Housing, Minister for Disabilities, Minister for Youth, Minister for Volunteers) (14:37): I thank the honourable member for her very important question. My understanding, however, is that youth drug and alcohol service provision is the responsibility of another minister, the Minister for Health in the other place. I will take the question on notice and seek an answer on her behalf from him.