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Legislative Council - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2016-07-06 Daily Xml
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Illicit Drugs

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD (14:51): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Police a question regarding a recent report of the increased use of illicit drugs in South Australia.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD: A report released last month has again highlighted the ongoing problem of illicit drug use in South Australia. The report was widely published, including in The Advertiser, and it revealed that illicit substances have grown in their usage quite substantially, particularly as data shows a spike in use over the weekends as it so happens. The report is based on a study conducted on wastewater treatment plants and the testing of the water therein, confirming the use of methamphetamines is substantially on the rise.

The study conducted by the University of South Australia has produced very substantial statistics, ranging right across the board in what was measured. In particular, it found that the average doses of methamphetamines had doubled from 150 per week in December 2011 to 300 per week in December 2015 per 1,000 people measured. Project leader and UniSA director, Dr Cobus Gerber, stated: 'As confirmed by the study, ice is by far the biggest and most commonly used.'

'Describing the comparison of methamphetamine to the use of cocaine,' he said, 'is akin to comparing Mount Lofty to Mount Everest.' There are also statistics showing the percentage of drug use in areas of different socio-economic status, as well as a range of other statistics, but underscoring this data is the fact that the use of illicit substances is increasing across the board. My questions to the minister are:

1. Will the government sponsor more of these studies or similar studies in order to improve our understanding of illicit drug use and provide a basis for combatting its use and distribution?

2. How will the government and police intervene in order to hamper the production and distribution of these drugs, in particular methamphetamines and ice?

3. What measures are in place to target the users and indeed the manufacturers of such substances?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS (Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (14:53): I would like to thank the Hon. Mr Hood for his question. Crime and disorder within the community is often influenced by illegal drug use. It is something that is of significant concern to myself as police minister but I think, more importantly, is of great concern to SAPOL generally. Statistics regarding drug use within our community, and it is not just exclusive to South Australia but it is a problem that certainly South Australia is not immune from, is something that is of substantial concern.

SAPOL works to minimise the harm of drug use through the investigation and disruption of the manufacture, cultivation, trafficking and supply of illicit drugs and also the possession and use of illicit drugs. SAPOL already engages proactively with and through community awareness programs and education campaigns which identify the law and criminal consequences associated with illicit drug use. They also conduct community awareness and education campaigns regarding the consequences in terms of people's health and the like, so I am advised.

SAPOL's commitment to tackle illicit drug use is evident by the illicit drug strategy, which is still in place and works in partnership with SA Health. In 2014-15, SAPOL ran a number of target operations which were aimed to disrupt drug-related activities, including Operation Atlas, which was aimed at amphetamine-type stimulants. The results to 30 June last year included 456 arrests; 24 reports; the seizure of 8.4 kilograms of methamphetamine and 13,924 ecstasy tablets, which is an incredibly large number, obviously; and the detection of 62 clandestine laboratories.

There was also Operation Mantle, which aimed at addressing street level drug users and traffickers. I am advised that that resulted in 438 arrests; 414 reports; and seizure of 4,053 cannabis plants, 293 kilograms of dried cannabis, 1,390 grams of amphetamine, 6,001 ecstasy tablets and $719,906 in cash. There was also Operation Deluge, which disrupted a major cannabis distribution ring operating throughout South Australia, the Northern Territory and Western Australia. There was also Operation Aedile, which was to dismantle a suspected cannabis growing syndicate.

SAPOL works closely with Australian customs and border police and the Australian Federal Police to stop the importation of drugs and precursors. SAPOL has increased the targeting and amount of drug driving tests conducted around the state, which is an important component of detecting drug use and making sure that people who drive cars while using are held to account as a consequence.

SAPOL has been involved in the National Ice Taskforce. That handed down a number of recommendations late last year, and a number of those recommendations are of significance for SAPOL, and I am advised that SAPOL is working through these.

This just gives the chamber a flavour of the work that SAPOL is undertaking to address the issue of illicit drugs on a number of levels. There is the street level but, of course, there is the back-end operation level, with SAPOL's targeted intelligence-based policing efforts to try to crack down on those people who would seek to manufacture these illicit drugs and distribute them in the community in such a way that grossly undermines community safety.

It is something that I commend SAPOL's incredible efforts on. I applaud the success that they have had so far in trying to address the issue and indeed the seizure of much of this illicit material, which has prevented it from going into the hands of people within our community, particularly young South Australians, and I wish them all the best in their endeavour to continue that hard work into the future.

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