Chris Crewther (Dunkley, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Dunkley is a unique area of Australia. We have so much diversity both within our community and within our natural environment. It is not difficult to fall in love with an area that I frequently brag has the best of the city, the country and the coast. Any local resident can proudly proclaim that our community is something to be treasured, protected and fought for. Despite this, one of the most consistent issues of concern not only across Australia but also within my local community is the harm related to alcohol and drug use.

Prior to my election, I made a firm commitment to work with the Dunkley community to improve treatment, after-care, education, prevention, support and community engagement to tackle the use of ice, alcohol and other drugs. Within 60 days of my election, I wrote to establish the Frankston and peninsula local ice and drug community action task force, which has now been funded from the federally funded local drug action team's funding. This has representatives via the existing RAD-FMP, which is the response to alcohol and drugs across Frankston and the Mornington Peninsula. Utilising this existing network of representatives from Peninsula Health, Victoria Police, local schools and sporting clubs, as well as other community leaders, we have been able to build upon the approaches our community has already taken, adding to these with federal funding.

We were the first of the initial 40 local drug action teams Australia-wide to receive funding for projects to prevent and reduce harm and issues that result from the use of alcohol and drugs, about which I have already spoken in this place. A total of 220 local drug action teams are being rolled out nationwide. One of the first grants that our local drug action team achieved and is working on is for a project to work with 95 peninsula sporting groups to prevent local alcohol and drug use. One of the key things that I have focused on with young people in my electorate is ensuring that they are engaged with the community and involved in sport and other activities to help prevent drug, crime and other things. As the youngest member of the House of Representatives, I am particularly passionate about this.

I have also followed up on my commitment to provide every household in Dunkley with an information pack about the resources available to individuals, families and communities who may be observing or feeling the impact of alcohol and drugs. We know that there is widespread use of alcohol and drugs, but the full extent is often either hidden or not discussed. That is why the task force and I feel it is so important to get this information out to those who need it. Whether or not they approach those available to help, those in the community know the help is there. This brochure has been well received and, on my own initiative, via my office, I encourage interested members to come to speak to me about this guide whenever they have time.

This is an important issue and there must be a concerted effort by all levels of government. The Turnbull government has made it clear that, through these local drug action teams established nationwide under our $300 million funding to tackle ice and drug use, we are committed to providing help and resources through the avenues where they are likely to be most effective. Much help is being provided to us at the local level both from local government and from local networks and organisations. But what we are missing is much of the law and order approach, as Victoria Police are already stretched because crime in Victoria is at an alarmingly high level. Figures released this morning indicate that in Victoria property crime is much higher than it is in any other state or territory. The Insurance Council of Australia has put the cost of rising rates of property crime at $164 million, equal to that of New South Wales and Queensland combined.

This is why I continue to fight the state government for additional resources and increased staffing levels for the local police, who are dedicated to fighting ice and drugs, alcohol and organised crime, including detection of drug laboratories. We need further investment from the state government. I know, for example, that the new Liberal candidate for Frankston, Michael Lamb, the senior sergeant in charge of Frankston police, is passionate about working with me to tackle this issue. We must ensure that Victoria Police are not trying to combat all this with one arm tied behind their backs. So I continue to call on the state government to invest additional resources in Victoria Police to make sure they are fully able to address local law and order issues that arise, in particular from the supply and use of alcohol and drugs in our community. Police levels in Victoria must be retained and must continue to be increased to ensure that organised crime can be addressed. This is something that has been repeatedly stressed by many Victorian MPs, and it cannot be ignored by the Andrews Labor state government any longer. Further, I have committed to and continue to fight— (Time expired)