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Legislative Council - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2015-05-12 Daily Xml
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Drug and Alcohol Testing

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD (14:50): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the minister representing the Minister for Police a question regarding drug and alcohol testing.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD: Members would have noted that The Advertiser has run several articles in recent days regarding drivers testing positive for illicit substances and/or alcohol in their system as they have been dropping off their children at school or, alternatively, picking them up from school. Of concern was a particular article about a man who tested positive for methamphetamine while conducting the school run for his children. There were a number of details in the article which I will not go into, but it noted that a woman was also delivering children to the same school and blew over the alcohol limit at that time. That is two individuals affected by either drugs or alcohol dropping their children off at the same school on the same morning.

It is known that children of substance-affected parents are at increased risk of abuse or neglect as well as of physical, academic, social and emotional problems. That has been well documented. It has also been well established that South Australia, as with other states in Australia, has a serious drug problem, and it is concerning—but unfortunately not surprising—that people are driving vehicles with children in them whilst under the influence of an intoxicating substance, whether that be alcohol or illicit drugs. My questions to the minister are:

1. What data is kept in relation to positive drug and/or alcohol testing and the destination of the persons travelling? That is, do we specifically have data targeting schools in particular?

2. Is there any policy that requires drug and alcohol education for school students where a trend of drug and/or alcohol use has been identified in a selection of the students' parents?

3. What is the government doing to ensure that the next generation of children are properly educated about the perils of drugs?

4. Will the government commit to legislating mandatory attendance at a detox centre for drivers, including random drug and alcohol testing for those drivers who have already been caught under the influence of these substances?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills, Minister for Science and Information Economy, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Business Services and Consumers) (14:52): I thank the honourable member for his most important questions and will refer those to the Minister for Police in another place and bring back a response.

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