Ian Goodenough (Moore, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to call for an escalation in the national campaign against the misuse of illicit drugs in our community through better resourcing of our national law enforcement agencies. One of the few positives of the COVID pandemic is that the tightening of international and state borders has resulted in more narcotic interceptions as criminal syndicates attempt to smuggle contraband across tighter borders. During the lockdown, I issued more drug related warrants as a justice of the peace in a month than I would normally issue in a year. Our local Joondalup hospital emergency department, which is already stretched for resources, has to deal with unruly drug affected patients daily. Over a period of four years, the Australian Federal Police has intercepted some 621 international shipments of illicit drugs. In the year to 30 June 2020, 18,600 kilograms of drugs and precursor chemicals to the manufacture of illicit drugs were seized at the border before they could be distributed and cause harm on our streets. In the year to 31 December 2020, the National Anti-Gangs Squad laid a total of 203 charges against 75 offenders and seized 63 illegal firearms and over $1.73 million in cash. The federal government is making progress in the war against drugs. (Time expired)

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