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Legislative Council - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2017-06-20 Daily Xml
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Methamphetamine Harm Reduction

The Hon. T.T. NGO (15:14): My question is to the Minister for Police. Can the minister outline how the government is seeking to stop the hurt in our community caused by crystal methamphetamine?

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway interjecting:

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS (Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (15:14): I am sure—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! Will the honourable Leader of the Opposition desist.

The Hon. I.K. Hunter interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Will the Minister for the Environment please desist. Both of you, if you want to continue this, go outside.

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway: Grow up.

The PRESIDENT: The only one who has to grow up at the moment, honourable Leader of the Opposition, is yourself, when you are interrupting and interjecting while a minister is on his feet trying to answer a question. Minister, please get up and answer the question.

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: I thank the Hon. Mr Ngo for his question. I think what the Hon. Mr Ngo wants to hear more than anything else is what this government is doing in the way of action to address the issue of ice in the community. I am very proud to be part of a government that is serious about actually making a difference on the ground when it comes to this drug, which is why we have announced an $8 million package that is seeking to address this issue on both the supply and the demand side of the equation.

I am sure that if the Hon. Mr Ridgway had partaken—as many members of the opposition did—in the forums that were conducted throughout the state, both in regional areas and metropolitan Adelaide, then he would not be seeking to make this a political issue, as he is seeking to do in the chamber right now. I am sure that if the Hon. Mr Ridgway had shown up to one of these forums and made the effort to speak to some of the families who have been affected by this drug, he would be less inclined to make this a political point-scoring exercise, as distinct from the more eloquent questions that some of his colleagues have asked so far today, including the Hon. Mr Ngo.

I am happy to work through the package that will be rolled out and is being announced in the context of this year's state budget. On the demand side of the equation, I have already mentioned—as the Hon. Mr Wade asked about—the $3.6 million that the government has allocated, which is going to result in 15 residential rehab beds in regional areas. It is also going to contribute to a 50 per cent increase in outpatient counselling services specifically in regard to getting rid of addiction.

We have also announced that a further $560,000 will be allocated to double the support provided to Family Drug Support. Family Drug Support is a non-government, non-profit organisation that provides assistance to families who have a loved one who is suffering from a drug addiction, particularly ice. It is a really important service. I can't tell you how moving it was hearing from parents—loving, devoted, committed parents—who are genuinely suffering as a result of their son or daughter having an ice addiction.

What these parents spoke of is an unconditional desire and willingness to assist their child kick this addiction but not necessarily knowing how best to go about achieving that objective. What they were looking for is support, knowledge and expertise about how best to utilise their commitment to be able to achieve that end. Many parents who would have been able to engage Family Drug Support to acquire that knowledge spoke of how important that service has been to them, but the problem has been that Family Drug Support simply hasn't been able to get to everybody. In essence, doubling their funding will, of course, provide the opportunity for Family Drug Support to get out into the community more and help more loving families.

On the supply side of the equation, we are giving SAPOL additional powers and resources to be able to do their job. In terms of resources, we are increasing the size of the dog squad. That is an investment of in excess of $200,000. We are increasing the pool of funds available to SAPOL to conduct covert operations. Covert operations are critical, particularly when it comes to capturing people further up the food chain in relation to drug manufacturing and distribution. We want to make sure that our policing response isn't just aimed at low-level dealers—many of whom are suffering addictions themselves—but actually aiming our resources at catching some kingpins, who are the people who truly profit, in large ways, from this insidious drug.

I mentioned the $200,000 Dob in a Dealer campaign as a result of a more eloquent question asked by the Hon. Ms Lensink. I should mention the in excess of a quarter of a million dollar investment in TruNarc technology. The TruNarc system is a tool that SAPOL use to readily and quickly test substances to determine whether or not they are of an illicit nature. They are tools that SAPOL currently have in metropolitan local service areas, but aren't ones that are available in the regions.

This funding will now ensure that each country local service area has access to a TruNarc machine, and of course we know that that testing capacity allows for the more speedy administration of justice in regional areas, which will go a long way. We want to increase the power for SAPOL. Currently, when SAPOL pulls someone over who delivers a roadside positive drug test, SAPOL is not empowered to search the car. We think that's an anomaly that needs to be fixed, and we want to give SAPOL the capacity to be able to do that. That, of course, may necessitate legislative change, and that will be an opportunity for the Hon. Mr Ridgway to actually do something and vote in a way that gives SAPOL that power.

We also want to address things in the Correctional Services system. Currently, if someone receives a period of time in gaol of less than five years relating to a drug-related offence—it might be drug trafficking, for instance—they are eligible for automatic parole. We do not think that is appropriate; we think that someone with such a fine or a sentence should be subject to ordinary parole procedures and have to demonstrate to the Parole Board that they have amended their ways during their time within the criminal justice system.

So, these are a number of measures, but in terms of community, we see community as playing a fundamental role when it comes to addressing this issue. The truth is that community networks are often the most powerful drivers of behavioural change. We need an outcome here that does speak to drug consumption behaviour in the community, which is why we are funding approximately $600,000 worth of grant programs—some in the sporting sector, some more in the community group sector—to go out there to positively engage with the community to educate people, particularly young people, who are taking drugs, particularly ice, which is a particularly bad idea.

All of this adds up, amongst other measures, to an $8 million package, combined with some legislative change, to ensure we get an outcome in the community on the ground, sooner rather than later. I said at the very beginning of the establishment of this task force that this was going to be a quick and surgical strike on the issue of ice. We have never suggested for a moment that this is going to fix the problem. We have always made it clear that the purpose of this task force wasn't to develop some long-term strategy when it comes to drug consumption in the community. That has its role to play and we already have in place the Alcohol and Other Drug Strategy, which takes us through to 2020.

The purpose of this task force was to see what the state government can do quickly and readily to make a difference on the ground, sooner rather than later. That's why these measures that we have announced are very practical. They are often tangible and they are practical, with the object of making a difference on the ground, sooner rather than later. State government can't do it on its own, federal government can't do it on its own, community groups can't do it on their own—this is going to take a holistic response. But this package represents this state government stepping up to the plate to make a difference regarding this insidious drug.

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