Ice Addiction

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS (15:15): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation questions about drug use.

Leave granted.

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS: Not by you, minister.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! Just ask the question, the Hon. Mr Stephens.

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS: Not at this stage, that we know of, but we are digging. As I am sure the minister is aware, the National Drug Strategy Household Survey released this month showed that the incidence of Aboriginal people using the drug ice was 1.6 times higher than that of non-Aboriginal people. Alarmingly, it also showed that ice use amongst young Aboriginal people between 16 and 29 was as high as 9 per cent. According to the director of South Australia's Aboriginal Drug and Alcohol Council, the use of the methamphetamine drug ice has become intergenerational in many Indigenous communities. My questions to the minister are:

1. Given the extent and severity of the problem, what strategies does the state government to have to address the issue?

2. What funding does the state government provide specifically to initiatives to combat ice use by Aboriginal people in South Australia?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Employment, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation, Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation, Minister for Automotive Transformation, Minister for Science and Information Economy) (15:16): I thank the honourable member for his question. It is a very good one and a very pertinent one. We know that the use of ice has a devastating effect, particularly in regional areas in South Australia, and indeed right around Australia. The devastating effect it could have, particularly in remote Aboriginal communities in Australia, is something that is of great concern. I know, as the honourable member probably does too, that it is a question that I ask regularly when I am visiting Indigenous communities, particularly remote communities like the APY lands, with the police.

Fortunately, there is very little evidence in some of those very remote communities of the use of ice at this stage, but it is something that could have pretty drastic impacts. In terms of specific programs, I think there are a couple of regional Aboriginal health services which are running programs. I will take it on notice and go away to get details of any of the programs that are running now in terms of specific things to address the use of ice particularly amongst younger Aboriginal communities.