Luke Simpkins (Cowan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Previously I have spoken in the parliament about the problems involved with foetal alcohol syndrome and the permanent damage to unborn children that results from the abuse of alcohol during pregnancy. Yesterday the Sunday Times reported that the number of mothers who are presenting at King Edward Memorial Hospital in Perth with drug addictions and with babies who are also addicted to drugs has increased substantially. It is an absolute tragedy because this involves permanent damage to unborn children.

I have often said that I think there should be more adoption in this country, particularly in cases where children are in circumstances of such great adversity. What I worry about now is that by the time a child is born often the damage is done. I think we need to have a debate in this country about what more can be done and our concepts of early intervention when we are faced with these sorts of problems in the future. This is something which we need to be aware of and we need to try to address in our schools, but we also need to look at other ways in which we can tackle this major problem.