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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-11-24 Daily Xml
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Ministerial Statement

ALCOHOL AND DRUG STRATEGY

The Hon. J.D. HILL (Kaurna—Minister for Health and Ageing, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for the Arts) (15:12): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.D. HILL: I am pleased to announce that the government has today released the South Australian Alcohol and Drug Strategy 2011-16, which will shortly be available on the—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.D. HILL: —Drug and Alcohol Services SA website. The whole-of-government strategy is led by SA Health and South Australia Police, and the 60 priority actions will be implemented with collaboration from a wide range of other government agencies.

The South Australian Drug Strategy 2005-10 has been successful in reducing the use of illicit drugs in our state, assisting people in addressing their substance misuse problems and keeping the rates of HIV and hepatitis C among injecting drug users low.

Since 2001, there has been an encouraging downward trend in the population of this state engaged in recent illicit drug use from 18 per cent in 2001 to 15 per cent in 2011. There has also been a reduction in the percentage of South Australian secondary school students using alcohol and cannabis.

The strategy identifies areas that require focus going forward. For instance, we know that currently 27 per cent of South Australians consume alcohol at least monthly at levels that pose a short-term risk of harm, and that there is greater substance misuse among certain vulnerable groups.

The new strategy takes an evidence based approach to reducing the effects of drug and alcohol misuse on not only individuals but also the community. The strategy continues to adopt a harm minimisation approach and aligns with the National Drug Strategy 2010-15 of demand, supply and harm reduction.

To tackle alcohol, SA Health will lead a range of new initiatives, such as engaging students and parents at South Australian schools, social marketing campaigns, trialling brief intervention and screening approaches within primary healthcare settings, evaluating secondary supply legislation effectiveness and, through the Health Workers—Healthy Future program, encouraging workers to re-assess the amounts of alcohol they consume.

The government will maintain its focus on the disproportionate impact of substance abuse on particular groups, including young people, families and the Aboriginal people. There is a range of actions directed towards these groups that emphasise a strong community partnership. The new strategy focuses on evidence based approaches and strong collaboration between government agencies to improve the health and wellbeing of South Australians into the future.

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