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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2013-11-26 Daily Xml
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ALCOHOL-FUELLED VIOLENCE

The Hon. L.R. BREUER (Giles) (15:01): It is wonderful to have a question. My question is to the Attorney-General. Can the minister inform the house about how community organisations are helping to tackle the issue of alcohol-fuelled violence and related harm?

The Hon. J.R. RAU (Enfield—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Planning, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Business Services and Consumers) (15:02): Can I thank the honourable member for her question. The government takes the issue of alcohol-fuelled violence and the harm that it brings very seriously. A package of measures in a new late night code for licensed venues, together with new liquor-licensing laws, demonstrate this government's determination in tackling this problem head on.

Early indications are very positive, both statistically and anecdotally, with a reported 25 per cent drop in alcohol-related incidents relating to licensed premises in the city compared to previous years. The government cannot address this issue in its entirety without help from the community. Therefore, the government is supporting organisations who share the objective of reducing the harm caused by alcohol, particularly when it concerns young people.

The Sammy D Foundation is one such organisation, which the state government has supported through several grant funding agreements, thus far totalling $960,000. The Sammy D Foundation was formed by Ms Natalie Cook and Mr Neil Davis following the death of their son, Sam, who died after being hit at a house party in Brighton in 2008. Alcohol-fuelled violence and related harm can have a devastating impact on South Australian families, and Ms Cook wants to share Sam's story with other young people, with the aim of preventing their further suffering.

I am informed that, over the past four years, the foundation has delivered its presentation and workshops to approximately 7,500 young people across South Australia. Follow-up research suggests that this program has resulted in changes to the way young people think about violence, with 94 per cent of young people demonstrating a change in attitudes at six and 12 weeks following the program.

Earlier this month, Ms Cook's important community work was nationally recognised when she was picked for the News Corporation Pride of Australia Medal for Courage. Members of the house would join me in congratulating Ms Cook for her work addressing this important issue.

It has been recently brought to my attention that the federal government is considering withdrawing $297,000 in funding from the Sammy D Foundation as part of savings measures. This funding was allocated by the previous federal government as part of its $40 million crime prevention funding, all of which is presently under threat from the current federal government. Such cuts would have a devastating impact on the organisation's capacity to deliver its programs to young people across the state.

I will be writing to the federal Attorney-General, the Hon. George Brandis, to reinforce this government's opposition to these cuts. Today, I am also calling on the Leader of the Opposition to add his voice and stand up to his federal colleagues on this issue. We need a multifaceted approach to tackling alcohol-fuelled violence that also focuses on long-term behavioural change. This is what the Sammy D Foundation is striving for and the government is appreciative of the work they are doing.

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