Susan Lamb (Longman, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I agree with the member for Tangney that illicit drugs are causing untold harm in the communities of Australia. The effects of harmful drugs like methamphetamine have been taking a significant toll on our cities, regions and remote areas. But what I can't agree with him on is that this government is taking reasonable steps to curb this. Time after time, this government has demonstrated it's not listening to the experts on how to best manage the damaging effects of drugs and drug addiction. Just look at the measures the government has introduced to begin drug-testing recipients on welfare. The government stand behind this measure despite overwhelming consensus from experts in the community that it will do more harm than good.

Good policy actionable policy that would achieve its goals needs to be supported by evidence, but that is not how the government operate. If they were interested in formulating policy that reduces the rate of drug addiction in our society, they would have consulted healthcare professionals, like those from the Australian Medical Association, the Royal Australasian College of Physicians or even the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre. But they didn't consult with them. We know this because each of those organisations, as well as many, many more just like them, have expressed really significant concerns about the drug-testing trial. These experts have warned that the trials will not assist people to overcome addiction but will instead push them into crisis. This could mean poverty, homelessness or potentially even crime. But the government won't listen.

I represent a really, really vulnerable electorate. There are a number of people in Longman who struggle with substance abuse. It's these people, their families and their communities—our communities—who are being let down by this government. But fortunately for the people of Longman they have a fantastic state local member in the Hon. Mark Ryan. Earlier this year, I attended the Ice Regional Community Engagement Summit in which the Hon. Mark Ryan, in his capacity as the Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services, was heavily involved. It made it very, very clear that, while the federal coalition government would rather demonise those suffering from addiction than help them, the Queensland Labor government, under Premier Palaszczuk, is taking meaningful steps forward, like an $18 million package to be implemented over four years, to increase awareness, support families and better equip those frontline services to respond to ice use and its harmful effects in Queensland.

This is in addition, of course, to the $43 million investment to increase specialist alcohol and other drug services; the $6 million to establish new, and enhance existing, drug and alcohol brief intervention teams; and the additional specialist alcohol and other drug treatment clinicians across six hospitals and health services. The Queensland government's approach is based on reducing supply, reducing demand and reducing the associated harms.

Whilst this Liberal government is using people suffering from addiction as a political tool to justify cuts to welfare, the Queensland Labor government recognises these addicts for what they are—people. They're people who need help, people who need support. Demonising these people is an easy option, so it comes as no surprise that that is what this government is doing. But, if anything, its approach is likely to exacerbate the problem we are seeing in our communities. What this government needs to do right now is show a little compassion. As I said, Mr Deputy Speaker, we're talking about people, people who need support. This government needs to show compassion and recognise that only through awareness, treatment and support will we be able to reduce the effects of drug addiction, not just now but in the long term as well.

I will support any actionable evidence based measures that will help ease the effects of addiction on our communities, so I'm more than happy to stand here and support the Queensland Labor government's plan, which the Hon. Mark Ryan presented at the recent summit in Longman. But the federal coalition government—they've got a lot to learn.

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