Andrew Hastie (Canning, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Next week, Mandurah celebrates the result of three years of hard work with the official opening of the Peel Youth Medical Service Health Hub. In 2015 I met with GP Down South to discuss the health challenges faced by young people in the Peel region. Like many, I was deeply concerned about the young lives being ruined by drug abuse. GP Down South had a plan for a youth health facility focused on prevention and early intervention. Unlike other models, the PYMS Health Hub would collocate mental and physical health services under one roof, ensuring young people could get the help they needed all in one location. The Canning Ice Action Group agreed to support PYMS as an effective means to tackle substance abuse. Together, our community lobbied for funding to make this vision a reality.

In April 2016 I led a delegation of young people from the Peel region to meet with the Prime Minister to discuss the needs of our region. Our hard work paid off, with the federal government committing $2 million to the construction of the PYMS Health Hub. With the job now complete, PYMS will play a key role in combatting drugs in our community.

But building the health hub is just one part of the Morrison government's plan. We've pulled almost 20 tonnes of drugs off Australian streets through Taskforce Blaze, and we're fighting to pass the Mandurah drug testing trial, which will invest in local rehab services and help young drug users get drug free and job ready. The Morrison government has done much to protect young people from the dangers of drug abuse, but it's only the beginning. We remain committed to the fight against drugs in Mandurah.

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