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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2008-09-11 Daily Xml
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DRUGS, ILLICIT

Mr RAU (Enfield) (14:37): My question is to the Minister for Police. Has the government's tough stance on illicit drugs been successful in reducing the quantity of drugs in our community?

The Hon. M.J. WRIGHT (Lee—Minister for Police, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (14:38): South Australia Police, similar to other law enforcement agencies across Australia, has a critical and increasingly diverse role to play in reducing the quantity and the impact of drugs in our community. The latest edition of the Australian Crime Commission's illicit drug data report shows that the tough laws introduced by the government, coupled with SAPOL's strong focus on reducing the supply of illicit drugs, has been successful in reducing the quantity of drugs such as amphetamines, cannabis, heroin and cocaine in our community.

In particular, the report shows that there has been a massive reduction in the quantity of amphetamine-type stimulants seized. In 2005-06, 66 kilograms of amphetamine-type stimulants were seized in South Australia, with this figure falling to just seven kilograms in 2006-07. The quantity of cannabis seized has fallen by 99 kilograms, or 12.5 per cent, while the seizure of heroin and cocaine has dramatically fallen by 67.3 per cent and 96.7 per cent respectively. Disrupting the supply, trafficking, cultivation, manufacture, possession and use of illicit drugs continues to be a high priority for the government and South Australia Police.

We know that there is a very clear link between illicit drugs and other crime. At the last election, the government pledged to continue to resource the police to fight against crime. Now we are seeing that the pledge has achieved the results that South Australians want: drugs off the streets. Since coming to office, the Rann government has passed a number of significant laws that target illicit drugs. For example, we have increased to life imprisonment the potential penalty for trafficking, manufacturing or cultivating commercial quantities of illicit drugs. We have trebled the expiation penalties for possession of cannabis and made drug driving an offence under the Road Traffic Act. We have included driving under the influence of drugs as a trigger for an aggravated offence of causing death or injury by dangerous driving. This carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. We have outlawed the sale of drug paraphernalia, such as bongs, ice pipes and cocaine kits, and we have banned more than 30 items used in illegal drug-making operations. We do not intend to rest upon our laurels as there is always more to be done.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.J. WRIGHT: We will continue to work with SAPOL and all relevant parties in an attempt to further reduce the supply of illicit drugs and continue to make it as difficult as possible for people to traffic, cultivate, manufacture and use illicit substances.

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