Julia Irwin (Fowler, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

to move:

That the House:

(1)

notes that the abuse of illicit substances is deeply implicated in Australia’s most intractable and costly social problems. These extend well beyond direct health and crime costs to issues like child protection, school drop out, suicide, mental illness, homelessness and poverty;

(2)

notes that the full cost of illicit substance abuse to the Australian economy has not been accurately assessed;

(3)

notes that the cost effectiveness of strategies devised to deal with abuse of illicit substances has not been accurately assessed in Australia;

(4)

notes that the efficacy of supply reduction strategies as compared to the efficacy of other measures in reducing the harms of illicit drug abuse has not been accurately assessed in Australia; and

(5)

calls on the Government to initiate an inquiry by the Productivity Commission into the cost of illicit drug abuse in Australia and the cost effectiveness of strategies to address illicit drug abuse and that in accordance with the Productivity Commission Act 1998, the Commission may also make recommendations in the report on any matters relevant to the matter referred.)

See this speech in context