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House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2017-05-30 Daily Xml
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Ice Addiction

Mr BELL (Mount Gambier) (15:30): I rise to make a contribution for a mother in my electorate of Mount Gambier called Sharon Stafford. Sharon came and saw me the other day and has actually seen me a number of times about the subject of ice. She asked that I read this out in parliament, which I said I would do. I have also put this in writing to the Minister for Substance Abuse and sought answers on the record.

Dear Member for Mount Gambier, Troy Bell,

I submit to you information and ask for help that relates to the ice epidemic, not only in South Australia but Australiawide. I ask that you, the member for Mount Gambier, present and deal with the issues below. I'm asking for your help in dealing with the ice epidemic here in Mount Gambier and to scrutinise the South Australian government as to why the South Australian Ministerial Ice Taskforce asked for public submissions that closed on 7th April concerning 'help to find an effective statewide solution and wanting ideas about how to prevent take-up, how to intervene early and what treatment works for different levels of dependence'.

I applied myself to this submission only to find out that the government of South Australia had already passed legislation on blocking legislation for mandatory treatment orders 'that would allow for mandatory rehabilitation centres where addicts can access help in a safe place that is not a prison'.

My question to you and the South Australian government is this: on what date did the Controlled Substances (Youth Treatment Orders) Amendment Bill get passed in the South Australian parliament and on what date did the ice taskforce ask for submissions to crack the ice epidemic?

Yes, I put in a submission to the ministerial taskforce via Tony Pasin's office on 5 April 2017 and asked if his office would pass my submission on as I don't have internet and there was no other address to send my submission to as part of yoursay.sa.gov.au/decision/ice-taskforce.

Having left Tony Pasin's office, I decided to buy TheBorder Watch and on that day read in the paper that on 5th April the South Australian government had already decided on no mandatory treatment orders for ice addicts when there were still two days left for submissions to be received. What sort of government is this that can do such a thing? I know now that submissions to government are a waste of our time. Government for the people, by the people, no longer exists for me. However fruitless, I now ask for these questions to be answered by the South Australian government:

1. What is the cost to keep an ice addict attending court time and time again because ice/drug addicts are let out on bail?

2. What is the cost for an ice addict/drug addict to seek legal aid?

3. What is the cost to keep an ice addict/drug addict in prison?

4. What is the cost to print books issued by the state government telling people about ice and drugs?

5. What is the cost to run community recreational centres in order to deal with ice/drug addicts?

6. What is the cost to run/maintain drug and alcohol services/mental health services?

7. What is the cost to families when their loved ones are addicted to ice/drugs?

That number I can answer and it is this: debt, divorce, violence and death. One can get a restraining order and call the police only they get there too late to be of any help. The damage is already done. When your loved one is locked up in prison, the magistrate asks the parents to provide bail for the ice addict/drug addict. No, I've had enough.

That is from a mother, Sharon Stafford, whom I have met on numerous occasions in my electorate. She has a son addicted to ice and has lost another son through ice. She is feeling let down that there is no common place for her to go to seek help and that the system is failing her and her loved one in this instance. On behalf of Sharon Stafford, I submit that to the house.

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