Methamphetamine Harm Reduction

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD (15:00): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the minster representing the Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse a question regarding methamphetamine use and harm reduction strategies.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD: According to the latest wastewater testing conducted by the University of South Australia, which I have outlined in this chamber previously, methamphetamine use in Adelaide has risen some 25 per cent in the last 12 months alone and tripled over the last five years. Data shows that there were more than 450 doses of meth each week per 1,000 people in December 2016. This is compared to just 150 doses per 1,000 people in 2012.

Experts have suggested that there has been a significant increase in the purity of methamphetamines as well. There are also calls for a broader range of rehabilitation support services. In fact, there is currently only one South Australian run and funded drug rehab facility in South Australia at this current time. My questions to the minister are:

1. Given the sharp increase in methamphetamine usage, what harm reduction strategies and measures does the government have in place? What other measures will the government implement to address the ice epidemic?

2. Does the government agree that one state government run and funded rehab facility is not enough in South Australia? If so, will the government commit to establishing further rehabilitation facilities or, even better, provide adequate funding to private facilities to run rehabilitation clinics?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS (Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (15:02): I thank the honourable member for his questions. Of course, I am more than happy to take those questions on notice for the member in the other place, but I will take this opportunity to reflect on the questions in my capacity as the minister chairing the state government's ice task force that has recently been set up by the Premier. The task force is currently in the process of hearing a number of concerns raised by the community broadly and is, more specifically, developing a policy response to try to make a positive contribution to this very substantial challenge in a way that is reasonably within the control of the state government.

As I have been getting around with the Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse and a range of other officials, I have to say it is hard not to have been confronted and moved by the experiences of so many people that have made a contribution to these forums thus far. The thing about ice or crystal methamphetamine is that it clearly doesn't discriminate. We have met with families from working-class and middle-class backgrounds and we have met with addicts who are educated, uneducated, employed, unemployed and of various ethnicities and ages. This insidious drug seems to have the capacity to affect our community across the spectrum.

When you meet with the loving parents of children who have been afflicted with this addiction who are crying out for guidance and assistance about what they can do to try to prevent other families from feeling the same pain or, just as importantly, about what they can do try to rehabilitate their own son or daughter, it's confronting. It has been really productive so far to be confronted in that way, but also to discuss what the state might be able to do to respond to this very substantial challenge. The Hon. Mr Hood has outlined a couple of areas that have clearly been discussed as we have gone around and completed those forums.

It is the government's intention to make an announcement regarding the task force findings in May. It is something that we are still on track to achieve. There is a lot of work still to be done, but thus far the forums that have been held, both in regional South Australia and also metropolitan Adelaide, have been productive and there have been some valuable contributions made by MPs present from both the opposition and the government. This is an initiative, I think, as a community we all need to take up and as a parliament we need to take up in a bipartisan way.

Again, I will acknowledge the contributions made by federal and state members from both parties. We are continuing to work on this. I will take those questions on notice but the government is working towards a substantial policy response which, realistically, will not fix the problem, but will hopefully make a positive difference on the ground sooner rather than later.