David Coleman (Banks, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Social Services. Will the minister update the House on the government's commitment to identify welfare recipients with substance abuse issues and support them to pursue treatment and overcome barriers to employment? Are there any alternative approaches?

Ms Plibersek interjecting—

Christian Porter (Pearce, Liberal Party, Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Banks, whom I thank for the question, is far too well aware that, unfortunately, too many Australian communities are suffering the debilitating and tragic effects of drug consumption. But particularly we see in all our electorates the tragic effects of the consumption of the drug ice. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare—

Mr Bowen interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for McMahon and the member for Sydney seem to be engaged in some interjection competition. They're both warned. If they are not silent for the rest of question time, they'll be watching it from their offices.

Christian Porter (Pearce, Liberal Party, Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has reported that the use of ice is 2½ times more likely amongst unemployed Australians. The member for Banks is also aware how ice creates terrible barriers to employment. Over the last five years, the number of people being exempted out of critical appointments like job interviews has nearly doubled, and the excuse rate for missing appointments like job interviews because of drug and alcohol consumption in the last year has increased by 131 per cent. The cashless welfare card and the drug testing trials are designed to try new approaches to assist people and communities where alcohol and drugs are perpetuating welfare dependency. No-one would lose a dollar of welfare because of a positive test; rather, income would be managed and the welfare system used to require treatment, which would be formulated by a medical professional.

I was asked about alternatives. The Labor alternative was recently contained in a media release which is possibly the most insipid press release in political history. The opposition made their big announcement about drug policy in Perth with the member for Brand. To quote Labor's decisive new approach to dealing with the ice epidemic tearing at our communities, it refers to 'a consultation period, after which a task force will produce a report that will feed into a strategy'. Member for Brand, the drug dealers in Brand must be quaking in their leather boots. The drug dealers must be calling emergency meetings—'What will we do when consulted?

What will we do when then hit by the task force? What, then, if there is a report? And what about the possible future strategy?' Let us be absolutely clear about this point: the reason for trialling income management based on drug tests is because this side of the House believes that welfare should always be distributed to people who need it. But we absolutely do not accept that taxpayer funds should be endlessly redistributed as cash to drug dealers.