Sarah Henderson (Corangamite, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak about the dreaded scourge that is ice. Geelong is set to take up the ice fight on the national stage, with a Geelong Region Ice Summit to be held at GPAC, the Geelong Performing Arts Centre, this Friday. I am very proud to be convening this summit in conjunction with the Geelong Advertiser and radio stations Bay FM and K-Rock.

I am very pleased that the Assistant Minister for Health, Fiona Nash, will speak at the summit along with a number of local experts, including Superintendent Daryl Clifton, who has been a very important part of our fight, against this dreaded drug, locally.

The summit is being held in partnership with the National Ice Taskforce. Very importantly, all community feedback from the Geelong Region Ice Summit, which incorporates all people wanting to come to the summit from right across Corangamite, will be provided to the National Ice Taskforce in the lead up to the Taskforce's interim report to Council of Australian Governments in mid-2015. The summit is a very important opportunity for our community not only to have its say but also to provide feedback directly to the National Ice Taskforce.

That said, I want to particularly commend the incredible work that has been done in my community by so many groups—local sporting organisations and community groups—to combat this dreaded drug. One particular organisation is the Greater Geelong Community Collective Effort on Substance Abuse, which has run the Our Town's Ice Fight and done an amazing job, because the very strong understanding is that unless everyone comes together, with one message, bringing together education, awareness, prevention and rehabilitation, we are not going to defeat this drug.

I particularly want to mention Daryl Clifton, who I referenced before; Chris Faulkner, from the Department of Human Services Barwon Area, West Division;·Paul Kelly, Director, Paul Kelly Creative, representing the committee for Geelong; and Kate Bibby, Director, Barwon Health, Communications & Marketing. Through the Greater Geelong Community Collective Effort on Substance Abuse they have played a very important role.

The Commonwealth government is working with states and territories to develop a National Ice Action Strategy to tackle this dreaded drug. The National Ice Taskforce and its secretariat will work closely with government, agencies, expert groups and the community to examine existing efforts to address ice and to identify opportunities to improve education, health, law enforcement and other policies to combat the impact of ice in the community. So, tackling ice, which is harming so many communities, is, I am very proud to say, a top priority for this government.

I want to particularly reference the Geelong Advertiser's recent ice series, which has played an important role in elevating our regional challenges onto the national stage. Reporter Mandy Squires has done a superb job. She has passed on to me a letter she received from one mother who will be attending the summit—I will not reveal her name as she wants to remain anonymous. She writes, in part:

The fact is my daughter would be alive today if there were compulsory detox. As I have already stated, the rehabilitation facilities in Geelong are a joke.

She asks:

Do the politicians, health workers et cetera want these families to live in a permanent hell visiting a headstone in a cemetery every day, instead of a hug?

This is a mother who has been traumatised by the death of her daughter.

I have supported many in the community who are looking for more funding for long-term drug rehabilitation beds. There are some extraordinary organisations doing some wonderful work in this area. I have spoken to the assistant health minister about it and I have very much placed it on her agenda.

I do want to refer to the Salvos and many other great organisations, including also Foundation 61, which have done a great job in providing rehabilitation. I am very proud of the work our government is doing. I urge all in the Corangamite community to attend the summit this coming Friday, and to contact my office if they wish to do so.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It being 9:30 pm, the debate is interrupted.

House adjourned at 21:30