Barry O'Sullivan (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the very effective Assistant Minister for Health, Senator Nash. Will the minister update the Senate on the progress towards the National Ice Action Strategy since the Prime Minister's announcement of the establishment of the National Ice Taskforce on 8 April?

Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Assistant Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the senator for his question and note his very real concern regarding this issue. I can advise that the task force, the Minister for Justice, Michael Keenan, and I have been travelling around Australia to seek feedback from the community and from expert groups, allowing people who have been affected by this drug or who are involved in those services relating to it to have a direct input into the task force.

One of the things that has become extremely clear is that law enforcement alone will not tackle this issue. It is going to be much broader. We have law enforcement officers telling us now that we cannot arrest our way out of this problem; we cannot police our way out of this problem. It is a very important part, and I certainly pay credit to all of the police involved on the front line dealing with this drug. But it is much broader than that. We will need to look at issues of demand. We will need to look at issues around education, particularly for young people so that they never start and never get involved in this drug. Also, we will need to look at issues such as rehabilitation and treatment services—where the gaps are, what we need to address, what is working well and what is not.

The task force has conducted many consultations over the last six weeks. There have been 11 expert roundtables with health peak bodies, seven community discussions in Mt Gambier, Broome, Darwin, Newcastle, Hobart, Townsville and Mildura, and 13 one-on-one meetings with experts. Also, there has been more than 1,300 written submissions from people out there in the community directly to the task force. The task force is now in the process of consolidating the interim report to the Prime Minister, which will be presented in mid-July. I look forward to the Prime Minister receiving that report from the task force and updating the chamber on the very important issue.

Barry O'Sullivan (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Will the minister explain to the Senate how the work of the task force and development of the National Ice Action Strategy are an important part of the Abbott government's National Drug Strategy?

Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Assistant Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The task force work is occurring in tandem with the development of the National Drug Strategy. The development of the new National Drug Strategy provides the most appropriate avenue for broader action to prevent harm across all classes of drugs, including ice. The National Drug Strategy is currently under development. Initial consultation has been undertaken, and the draft will go out for broader consultation following initial consideration by ministers at both the state and federal level. It is due to commence in 2016. The National Ice Action Strategy will be a key component of this broader strategy. The development of the strategies in tandem provides an opportunity to ensure the issues being raised through the consultation process that relate more broadly to illicit drugs can be considered through the National Drugs Strategy. The government understands the devastating effects illicit drugs have on our communities, and the Australian people are continuing to support the work in this area.

Barry O'Sullivan (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. I thank the minister for her informative answers. Will the minister update the Senate on her engagement with communities impacted by the scourge of ice?

Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Assistant Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

One of the things that has also become increasingly clear is that ice does not discriminate. It affects old people, young people, wealthy people, people not well off. We are talking about tradesmen. We are talking about people involved right across the community—housewives who are, indeed, taking this to be 'supermum'. It does not discriminate. That is why I have undertaken the community forums right across the country—to be able to personally engage with people and communities.

Over the past six weeks I have held 10 consultations in regional communities, travelling more than 20,000 kilometres across Australia. A significant amount of information has come forward relating to that. I particularly want to thank my colleagues that have been involved in supporting this process here in the Senate. I thank Senator O'Sullivan, Senator McKenzie and Senator Smith for the work they have done, as well as our House of Representatives colleagues. Listening to those people out in the community has been absolutely vital in developing the strategy.