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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-02-24 Daily Xml
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ILLICIT DRUG USE

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD (15:15): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the minister representing the Attorney-General and the Minister for Road Safety a question regarding drug use and drug driving in South Australia.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD: Yesterday in this chamber the government rebuffed a call for tougher cannabis penalties by saying, and I quote Hansard:

...there has been a declining prevalence of use of cannabis in the South Australian community over recent years. In 1998, 17.6 per cent of the population had used cannabis in the previous 12 months, and this figure declined to 10.2 per cent in the latest available figures in 2007. This is in line with the encouraging downward trend in overall illicit drug use recorded in South Australia in recent years, down from 23.9 per cent to 14.7 per cent in the same period.

I note that the figures quoted actually only refer to up to 2007, which was said to be the most recent data that could be obtained, but in fact I have here a copy of the 2009 South Australian Drug Trends Report, published by the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre. I am concerned that in my small office with just one researcher I was able to obtain more recent data than the department.

The more substantial concern, however, is that the 2009 report actually shows no evidence whatsoever of a drop in drug use in South Australia—as suggested. Indeed, it shows significant continuing problems with drug use in South Australia. I will quote a few sections briefly from the report. On page 27, it reports a significant increase in reported frequency of all types of methamphetamine; on page 16, 'significant increase in proportion of sample reporting recent use of heroin'; on page 36, 'The number of methamphetamine labs has increased in the last year'; and on page 58:

There was a significant difference (increase) in proportion of sample reporting recent use of ecstasy…

More participants reported recent use of illicit benzodiazepines...

A larger proportion of participants reported recent use of cocaine…

In fact, practically every category of drug use had seen an increase or, at the very best, remained steady. From another angle, when the recent Road Traffic (Drug Driving) Amendment Act came into effect on 1 July 2006, one in 45 motorists at that time tested positive for drug use. Today, very reliable information received by Family First indicates that figure is now one in 31 motorists—almost a 50 per cent increase in illicit drug driving. These are not figures that back up the claims that were made yesterday in the government's response to the Hon. Ms Bressington's bill. My questions are:

1. Will the government retract the claim that illicit drug use in South Australia is declining, as was given as the major reason yesterday for opposing for the call for tougher cannabis penalties?

2. If the government continues to maintain that drug use is declining, how does it explain the fact that one in 45 motorists tested positive for drugs in 2006 and that that figure is now one in 31, according to a very reliable senior source?

The PRESIDENT: The honourable minister, representing two ministers.

The Hon. B.V. FINNIGAN (Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for Gambling) (15:18): If anyone can represent two ministers at the same time, it is myself.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. B.V. FINNIGAN: I was referring more to the combination of bulk than intelligence, Mr President. I thank the Hon. Mr Hood for his questions that are directed to the Attorney-General and the Minister for Road Safety in the other place, and I will refer those questions to them.

I will make a number of points in response to what the honourable member has said. In relation to the statistical anomalies the Hon. Mr Hood identifies, obviously I do not have information on those to hand. Certainly, there are different types of statistics and different reporting mechanisms that exist. I am not suggesting that the honourable member has compared apples and oranges. I do not know the basis of the statistics, but of course there are different approaches to how you measure these things.

I am happy to have that investigated by my honourable colleagues, but I certainly would say that this government has very much been at the forefront of tackling the use of illicit drugs and, in particular, the effect that they may have in relation to road safety.

An honourable member: What have you done?

The Hon. B.V. FINNIGAN: We have introduced drug driver testing; we have introduced the regular testing of drivers for drug use. I have actually been tested myself.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. B.V. FINNIGAN: I have been part of a random drug test. In fact, I have had my car searched by dogs as well looking for drugs, so I am hoping that the police do not think there is something particular about me that deserves special attention. We have introduced a testing regime for drivers relating to illicit drugs. That has been something which this government has done and which it has continued to be committed to and to resource.

The government has reduced the number of cannabis plants that individuals are able to grow. So, again, we have taken steps to combat the use of illicit drugs, particularly in the cannabis area. This government has supported the drug paraphernalia legislation that the Hon. Ms Bressington has referred to.

The South Australian government is part of the national strategies aimed at combating illicit drug use. We are all familiar with the advertising campaigns and the education amongst young people and students and so on that goes on as part of those nationally coordinated approaches. As I have indicated today in relation to gaming machines, the government looks at an evidence-based approach. That is what we do. Working with the commonwealth and other states, we put in place the programs and campaigns that are most likely to be effective, and that are the most effective, in reducing illicit drug use. In many instances those campaigns are successful.

No-one is pretending that illicit drugs are not a problem in the community or that the problem is not something that we will always have to continue to combat. I think we are all aware that those who wish to profit from illegal and illicit drugs will continue to do so.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! Let's remain dope free in the Legislative Council.

The Hon. B.V. FINNIGAN: Those who sell illicit drugs will continue to try to do that and to make money out of it, and the government will continue to be committed to doing what it can, not only to stop the supply and to prosecute those who are involved in the illicit drug trade but also to ensure that those to whom they seek to sell illicit drugs are deterred from purchasing and consuming illegal drugs.

There are a whole range of strategies that are necessary to do that. Some of those strategies are on the level of trying to stop people from getting easy access to illicit drugs, and I have mentioned some of the things that the government has done in relation to tightening up cannabis laws, bringing in drug driver testing, drug paraphernalia, and other matters. Of course, it is very important that we also take an evidence-based approach to deterring young people—any people, but young people in particular—who are the subject of targeting in a lot of the illicit drug markets. It is particularly important that we take the right approach to making sure that we do what we can to deter young people and to educate them about the dangers and the peril of taking illicit drugs and what effect that can have on their health, including their psychological or mental health.

I do not accept the proposition that the government is somehow going easy on drugs—and certainly not on drug drivers. We have introduced a drug driving testing regime and we continue to fund that. The police are actively and regularly testing drivers for the presence of illicit drugs, as they do for alcohol on a regular basis. It is very much a part of the government's commitment to combating drugs to include targeting drug driving and trying to reduce the incidence of that behaviour. In relation to the particular matters that the honourable member has raised, I will refer them, as I said, to my colleagues in the other place.

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