Page 2527 - Week 08 - Thursday, 19 August 1993
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
Madam Speaker, if we are to have a balanced, realistic and pragmatic approach we need to look much more at dealing with drugs in a socio-health forum rather than where the current emphasis is, namely, in the policing regime. Far too much money in this country is put into the policing side of dealing with illicit drugs rather than the health side. To say that the system is balanced is simply not true. The system will be appropriately balanced when funds are shifted in the opposite direction. It was the Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy and the Federal Government that looked at moving funds away from health towards the policing side of control of illicit drugs.
Madam Speaker, it is primarily a health problem and it should be dealt with as such. When Australia looks at reforming our laws across Australia in order to facilitate that, we can expect to have even more success than we have had up until now. On the international scene, Australia certainly has been much more successful at reducing harm than almost any other country in the world, and I do not think anybody can take that away from us. I would like to finish my few comments by going back to the way I started - the ACT is well ahead in dealing with drug-related harm, and I hope that we will continue to be that way.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
AUDITOR-GENERAL'S REPORT NO. 4 OF 1993
Home Loans Program, Capital Equipment Purchases and
Human Resource Management System
Motion (by Mr Berry), by leave, agreed to:
That the Assembly authorises the publication of Auditor-General's report No. 4 of 1993.
Motion (by Mr Berry), by leave, agreed to:
That the Assembly takes note of the paper.
PAPER
MR CONNOLLY (Attorney-General, Minister for Housing and Community Services and Minister for Urban Services): Madam Speaker, for the information of members, I present the Official Visitor's Report for 1992-93, pursuant to section 19B of the Children's Services Act 1986.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .