David Littleproud (Maranoa, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The sheer devastation associated with ice use is perhaps one of the most confronting issues facing communities right across my electorate of Maranoa. While sadly weaving a paralysing path through local towns and destroying families, I believe we have a unique role as the nation's representatives to bring each community together to find local solutions that stick. Our government is being proactive in prioritising assistance to our most affected communities. Our National Ice Action Strategy provided an extra $298 million over four years to tackle the problem, and we have established new local drug action teams that address the challenges in their community's hardships but also acknowledge their unique opportunities.

I am also looking forward to kicking off a series of community forums right across my electorate, commencing in two weeks time, to bring together our primary health networks, healthcare providers, hospitals, police, schools, councils and, most importantly, our community members, who are perhaps the most impacted, to discuss localised solutions. They will start in Chinchilla and Dalby on 5 June, before heading to Kingaroy and Warwick on 6 June. The south west and central west will not be forgotten. I will host forums in every major town this year.

To my constituents who have approached me and trusted me with their own personal stories, I thank you. Your words have not fallen on deaf ears, and these forums are a result of your advocacy. I encourage everyone in these communities to come together at these forums and help deliver better solutions across their local areas. The scourge of ice and drug addiction is not just the problem of those who are impacted but of all of us. So it is our responsibility as a community to come together and make a difference. (Time expired)