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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2019-06-05 Daily Xml
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Motions

Illicit Drug Use

Debate resumed.

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (11:34): I rise to support the motion moved by the member for Newland:

That this house—

(a) acknowledges the state government's strong focus on preventing the uptake of illicit drug use, reducing the harmful effects of licit and illicit drugs and offering pathways out of harmful drug use;

(b) supports the state government's position against pill testing at events;

(c) notes that there is no pill testing regime that can test against the range of chemicals people might be ingesting;

(d) recognises that there are a range of alternative strategies that can improve safety and reduce health harms at public events;

(e) supports the safer music event guidelines to improve safety and reduce harms at events; and

(f) expresses its appreciation to emergency services, including SA Ambulance Service and SA Police, for their efforts to improve safety and reduce harms at events resulting from the harmful effects of licit and illicit drug use.

We certainly made quite a range of election commitments in this field in the lead-up to the March 2018 state election. The then Marshall Liberal opposition at the time committed, when in government, to the following drug-related policy initiatives:

a drug addiction rehabilitation program in the Riverland, the Matrix program;

zero tolerance for drugs in prisons;

limiting the number of drug diversions;

keeping penalties in line with community expectations; and

providing mandatory drug treatment for young people.

Our government, the Marshall Liberal government, is committed to improving health and wellbeing outcomes for all South Australians who are experiencing harm from illicit drugs. We will and we are facilitating new pathways into treatment, including through youth treatment orders and providing a legislative framework for young people with acute substance abuse problems with support for families who are struggling to have their children engage in treatment through voluntary mechanisms.

We have implemented a pilot of the Matrix drug treatment program in the Riverland. I want to talk about the Matrix program, which is an intensive outpatient addiction recovery program that provides group-based structured education and cognitive behaviour therapy for methamphetamine and IV heroin users across 20 weeks. The program requires weekly attendance in order to maintain focus and support. Groups are run by trained psychologists and co-facilitated by a recovered peer with lived experience. Delivered by PsychMed, this is one of a suite of alcohol and other drug treatment services commissioned by the Adelaide Primary Health Network.

Certainly in recent days we have seen it announced that the Murray Mallee General Practice Network has $1.5 million in federal funding for drug and alcohol treatment services, some of which they will use to fund the Matrix program in Murray Bridge. It is anticipated that this program will start in Murray Bridge, in my electorate of Hammond, in August or September this year.

This program was first used in the United States. It has been used in the Riverland, and it is good to see that federal funding is being made available to bring the program into Murray Bridge. Right across the state the scourge of drugs does not pick and choose where you live, whether it is in urban Adelaide or our bigger towns and cities. It is a scourge right across the regions, and we need to do everything we can to save everyone, especially our youth.

In regard to pill testing, on 29 April 2018 the Australian Capital Territory government permitted Australia's first legal pill testing trial at the Groovin the Moo festival in Canberra. At that trial festival-goers were able to have their illegal drugs tested for chemicals by the independent consortium STA-SAFE. The trial did, as has been mentioned, raise a number of legal issues and uncertainty, including concerns over the legal consequences for patrons participating in the pill testing, as well as the legal liability of those facilitating and conducting the testing.

As the minister explained before, pill testing normalises the behaviour of people being able to take pills to events. They think, 'Oh, well, we will just get it tested.' From what I understand, we find that the evil people, the drug pushers, will blend materials. They can have terrible materials in there. Apart from the drugs themselves being totally harmful, the other additives that are put in these pills can cause quite a bit of harm.

I have raised this discussion at home. As the father of an 18 year old who goes out occasionally in Adelaide and around the place in the regions as well, I can say that it is not just music festivals where drugs are peddled. They are peddled on the streets, on the weekends, etc. I have a 15 year old as well, and I have given my boys a fairly stern talking to. They may not want to listen to their old man, but they do occasionally. I said, 'If you ever get involved, just hope the police catch you before I do.'

It is something that we have to be aware of. We cannot bury our head in the sand, but we do need to use legal outcomes to get the right outcomes. I have heard the arguments for pill testing, and I certainly do not believe they stack up. We need to use legal outcomes, and we can use them with educational and other programs to make sure that we keep kids and others safe.

The Marshall Liberal government is committed to working in an informed and focused way to address the wideranging community impacts that the misuse of alcohol and other drugs have on health, justice and child safety. It is important that we do recognise the progress that has been made in reducing the harm caused by substance abuse. Without that acknowledgement of our positive achievements, the community will not have hope that the problems we face will ever be resolved.

There is some data on the use of alcohol and other drugs that progress is being achieved in some areas. The data shows that fewer school-age children are drinking alcohol in South Australia, and the proportion of young Australians engaging in single-occasion risky drinking has decreased as well. The proportion of young South Australians with a reported use of cannabis has been decreasing since 2001.

However, we can never relax. I know a couple of families that have been torn apart by the use of methamphetamine or ice. It just leads to terrible results all around. An ice user believes they need to get more and more to feed their habit. From what I am told in relation to methamphetamine, nothing ever matches the first hit, so they keep chasing that hit, but it never happens.

I salute the way the families that I know have pulled in around their loved ones in some cases. However, in other cases, they just cut them free because they are on that path and hope they will be able to remedy it into the future. I commend the work that our government is doing. We must always be vigilant. We must get on board. We must always do what we can to help not just our young people but our citizens right across the state of South Australia.

Ms LUETHEN (King) (11:44): I have asked many people in my electorate, young and old, for their thoughts on this idea of pill testing at events. I must tell you that I was surprised by some people's feedback. It has been really useful to hear people's thoughts on this issue and the reasons why they do or do not support pill testing. For those talking about their support for pill testing, I was surprised that there were more people supporting it than I expected, but the feedback was consistently along the lines that, since people are using drugs, we should introduce this to keep those using drugs safe.

The government's views on this are in line with my own after consulting my local community. The Marshall Liberal government does not support pill testing at events. We think that it sends the wrong message. Permitting on-site pill testing contradicts messages about the risks related to the use and possession of controlled substances. It also provides a false sense of security, as no pill testing regime can test against the range of chemicals that people might be ingesting.

Importantly, our government does have a strong focus on preventing the uptake of illicit drug use, reducing the harmful effect of drugs in our community and supporting the provision of appropriate intervention, treatment and rehabilitation services. There is a range of alternative strategies that can improve safety and reduce harm to health at public events, including the planning and management of events and close cooperation between event organisers and health, law enforcement and other agencies to minimise health and safety risks.

For example, the safer music event guidelines were developed by Drug and Alcohol Services South Australia, in collaboration with South Australia Police and other stakeholders, to improve safety and reduce harm at events. The guidelines recommend the provision of chill-out areas at events to provide well-ventilated, cool and quieter spaces for patrons to rest and recover, supervised by a staff member with first-aid training; the availability of free drinking water at multiple locations within events that are easy to access; dedicated, equipped and accessible first-aid locations; safe transport options to and from the event; and event organisers planning events early with emergency services, including the South Australian Ambulance Service and SA Police, to discuss any risks and implement strategies to reduce these risks.

On 29 April 2018, the Australian Capital Territory government permitted Australia's first legal pill testing trial at the Groovin the Moo festival in Canberra. Under the trial, festival-goers were able to have their illegal drugs tested for chemicals by an independent consortium. The trial raised a number of legal issues and uncertainty, including concerns over the legal consequences for patrons participating in the pill testing, as well as the legal liability of those facilitating and conducting the testing.

In the lead-up to the March 2018 state election, the Marshall Liberal government committed to the following drug-related policy initiatives: drug addiction rehabilitation in the Riverland, zero tolerance for drugs in prisons, limiting the number of drug diversions, keeping penalties in line with community expectations and providing mandatory drug treatment for young people. The Marshall Liberal government is committed to improving health and wellbeing outcomes for all South Australians who experience harm from illicit drugs. We will facilitate new pathways into treatment, including through youth treatment orders.

Providing a legislative framework for young people with acute substance abuse problems will support families who are struggling to have their children engage in treatment through voluntary mechanisms. When I was out doorknocking, my constituents gave me plenty of feedback about waiting lists that are too long when young people had made the decision to seek help and enter programs. This is something that I have been consistently following up with our health minister since being elected. It is incredibly important that, when someone makes the decision to seek help, they are able to get that help and not be on a waiting list that requires that vulnerable person to keep asking for help.

We have also committed to making amendments to the police drug diversion initiative to ensure that it is and remains an early intervention initiative. Individuals who are infrequently detected through this program will continue to access health assessment and intervention; however, adults who repeatedly access this system will no longer be diverted after their third infraction but will instead progress through the criminal justice system. Such an approach will preserve the intention of this initiative as an early intervention program.

Responses to illicit drugs in South Australia are informed by a number of strategic plans at the jurisdictional and national level, including the South Australian Alcohol and Other Drug Strategy 2017-2021, the National Drug Strategy 2017-2026, South Australia's Ice Action Plan 2017 and the National Ice Action Strategy 2015. It is good to see that there are some positive signs. The Marshall Liberal government is committed to working in an informed and focused way to address the wideranging community impact of the misuse of alcohol and other drugs on health, justice and child safety.

It is important that we recognise the progress that has been made in reducing the harm caused by substance abuse. Without acknowledgement of our positive achievements, the community will not have hope that the problems we face will ever be resolved. The data on alcohol and other drugs indicates that progress is being achieved in some areas. Fewer South Australian school-age children are drinking alcohol. The proportion of 12 to 17 year olds who had never consumed alcohol increased from 68 per cent in 2013 to 78 per cent in 2016. The proportion of young Australians engaging in single-occasion risky drinking has decreased.

The proportion of South Australians aged 14 years and older who reported use of cannabis over 12 months has been decreasing since 2001. Ecstasy use decreased from 2.8 per cent in 2013 to 1.6 per cent in 2016. There has been a decrease in the prevalence of methamphetamine use across Australia, from 2.1 per cent of the population reporting use in 2013 to 1.4 per cent in 2016.

Good mental health affects every aspect of our lives. It is widely accepted that there is no health without mental health. Increasingly, we understand that social and economic wellbeing is also inextricably linked to mental health. Good mental health not only enables individuals to enjoy meaningful and productive lives but also benefits the community and the economy. The benefits are felt across generations.

Keeping South Australians physically and mentally healthy is a very high priority for this government. Housing, education, employment and safety, along with the highest quality mental health and alcohol and drug treatments, are the supports of an effective mental health and alcohol and other drugs system. I will continue to advocate on each of these fronts to make sure they receive equal attention so that each of us can contribute to better lives.

It is excellent news that the federal Liberal government is working with us to tackle illicit drugs. The federal government is investing $337 million over five years in a comprehensive drug strategy to address the supply of, demand for and harm caused by illicit drugs. This includes $152 million for law enforcement agencies to reduce the supply of illicit drugs, including continuing to target outlaw motorcycle gangs, which are a key source of Australia's illicit drug supply.

Lastly, I want to note that research has established a relationship, albeit complex, between child sexual abuse and adverse mental health consequences for many victims. People often turn to drugs to cover up their personal pain and memories. According to research, negative mental health effects that have been consistently associated with child sexual abuse include post-traumatic symptoms, depression, substance abuse, helplessness, negative attributions, aggressive behaviours and conduct problems, eating disorders and anxiety.

More recently, child sexual abuse has also been linked to psychotic disorders, including schizophrenia and delusional disorder, as well as personality disorders. Child sexual abuse has many links to the use of drugs. That is another reason why I advocate to stop child sexual abuse in Australia. Thank you to the member for Newland for bringing this motion and topic to the house. We will continue to have a strong focus on tackling drugs in South Australia.

Mr TEAGUE (Heysen) (11:54): I rise very briefly to support the motion from the member for Newland. The point has been made, and I do not want to stay to discuss it at great length now, as there may be an opportunity to do so again in the future.

I want to emphasise that, insofar as there have been recent credible studies of the history of harm caused by the use of illicit drugs in various circumstances—we have had the emphasis on pill testing at music festivals—the evidence is that the harm and, tragically, in the worst of cases, the deaths that have been caused at these events have been caused not by impurities or so-called contaminants within the drugs but by the drugs themselves. In particular, the focus here is on MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy, and the chemical effects that drug has in causing related violence to the bodily functions, which then have caused, in the worst of circumstances, fatalities.

I do want to stress and put on the record that this is a concern to minimise and to prevent the take-up and use of the drugs themselves at events and in all circumstances. The notion that somehow it is impurities or other contaminants that are our enemy in all of this is not one that is founded on the evidence. I commend the member for Newland for bringing the motion and I commend the motion to the house.

Dr HARVEY (Newland) (11:56): I would just briefly like to thank all those who have contributed to the debate on this motion, in particular the Minister for Police and Emergency Services, the member for Hammond, the member for King, the member for Heysen and also the member for Kaurna, who I was pleased indicated his support for the motion.

In brief, as the point has been made a number of times, pill testing very much sends the wrong message, in that it implies that an illegal activity can be performed safely and contributes to the normalisation of an activity we would like to see people do less of. Another important point is that the testing itself is limited, in that it has limitations in what it can detect in regard to contaminants and other toxic compounds, and it also has limitations in its ability to detect the quantity of the active ingredients.

The point the member for Heysen made was that the desired compounds are in and of themselves unsafe, which is one of the reasons why they are illegal, so to create the impression that this can be done safely through a pill testing regime is not going to have the effect of actually alleviating those risks that exist in conducting this activity in the first place.

I would also like to stress the point that we really need to thank our emergency services in relation to the impact that illegal drug use has on them, being right there at the front line. Police, ambulance and those who work in the emergency departments and so many other services really see the devastating impacts of these firsthand, some of which can be quite horrific, and I know that through my own personal experience of knowing people in SA Ambulance and some of the stories they have told.

Even the frequency of call-outs to these incidents is now right across the week, whereas in years gone by it tended to be more on Friday and Saturday nights. It now does not really matter what night of the week it is—there are call-outs to these kinds of incidents. We really cannot thank our emergency services enough in relation to the impact this issue has on them and for the work they do in essentially protecting the rest of us from the scourge of illicit drug use. I look forward to the support of this motion from all members of this place and commend it to the house.

Motion carried.

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