Kevin Hogan (Page, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last week I organised a community consultation meeting about the impact of ice in our community. Well over 100 people attended. I thank all the community members who came and also Senator Fiona Nash, who was the joint lead in the Ice Taskforce. Speaker after speaker at the consultation spoke of the horrors of this drug which affects users and their loved ones. I was moved by former users who spoke of how their once-normal active lives quickly spiralled out of control and how their family relationships broke down. Others spoke of the violence it causes. Hospital workers spoke about the ongoing threats to their safety as they try to care for users who have become psychotic and a risk not only to themselves but also to medical staff and other patients.

What soon became clear was that, if we do not do whatever is needed to tackle this drug, things will get worse. My community knows this, which is why so many medical and welfare experts came together with business and community leaders, along with former users and general community members. I was heartened to hear of programs in my electorate that are already having some success, such as a school based peer-to-peer program that, through theatre and music, charts a user's downward spiral as a warning to others. There is also an Indigenous support agency that is supporting recovering addicts with accommodation and food so that users can stay within their support networks.

But much more needs to be done. We need an all-of-government approach to fight this issue. I would like to thank my colleague Senator Fiona Nash— (Time expired)