Melissa Price (Durack, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

This government has already committed nearly $300 million to support the National Ice Action Strategy as part of a total commitment of $685 million aimed at reducing the impact of alcohol and drugs on communities, on families and on individuals. In late June this year, we saw the WA police raid dozens of houses in the Kimberley and issue some 82 charges relating to drug possession and distribution. The Kimberley district inspector, while not commenting on the specific quantities of drugs found, confirmed that the impact would have been devastating if it had hit the streets of the Kimberley. Anyone with a basic understanding of economics, and clearly on this side of the House we know all about that, knows that the best way to reduce supply is to reduce demand. If this bill can go some way to putting drug dealers out of business—and it will have that impact—then it should be supported wholeheartedly.

I would like to note that the long-serving, now-retired police commissioner in Western Australia, Karl O'Callaghan, recently wrote on the need for welfare reform and the potential for the benefits that it can bring. On 1 July, he penned a piece in TheWest Australian talking about the cashless welfare card and how that would save kids and families. Although this is not about the cashless welfare card, I want to take the opportunity to place on record—and my good friend the member for O'Connor is here in the House now—an acknowledgement that the third trial site for the cashless welfare card is in Kalgoorlie and the surrounding areas. Kalgoorlie is my home town, so I know the people there are very grateful to the member for O'Connor and to Minister Tudge for their work in bringing the card to the Goldfields. I'm quite sure that that card is going to change lives and is going to turn around many of those families who are in desperate need of help. I shall end there on that note and say: I commend this bill to the House.

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