Gavin Pearce (Braddon, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Health. Will the minister inform the House how the Morrison government is supporting and protecting families, including those in my electorate of Braddon, through providing support for drug and alcohol services?

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to thank the member for Braddon, who has been, along with many members in this House on all sides, a great advocate for drug and alcohol services. We know that the challenge for families and people of all ages can be catastrophic. It can be opioids, it can be amphetamines, it can be alcohol or it can be any number of different substances which can cause catastrophic physical outcomes and, of course, tragic mental health outcomes. Frequently, and tragically, these substance abuse cases are associated not just with economic disadvantage and impact but also with suicidality and, in too many cases, suicide or overdose.

I'm delighted that we were able to assist City Mission in the member for Braddon's electorate with $6.3 million for drug and alcohol support. This will work throughout the north-west but in particular with 10 beds. It's part of an initiative that is reaching right around Australia, with over $780 million that is going into this work. We were also able to support a project which has very strong bipartisan support in this chamber, the Glen for Women, a centre for Indigenous women. It's in the electorate of Dobell. It has the support of the member for Dobell. It had the very strong advocacy of the member for Robertson but it also had the support of the member for Barton, and I thank her for her advice. This, of course, followed circumstances which were deeply powerful and important to her.

These are projects across the country, across electorates and across all political divides. We've been able to do work in the electorate of Gilmore with the Triple Care Farm. This proposal has had the support of all sides and, under the Community Health and Hospitals Program, it will allow not just young people but people of all ages to receive support for rehabilitation and recovery from drug and alcohol challenges.

With the member for Dawson, I visited Ozcare in Mackay. Whilst we were there we met people who were on the road to recovery. Of all the different people I have met at facilities, the testimonials given on the personal care and the importance of residential rehabilitation and the way in which we have subsequently been able to support Ozcare were perhaps the most arresting I have received. The stories of people who believed that they had had no hope until they were given this residential care and residential support really struck a profound chord. It helped set up this national program. I want to thank all of those workers, many of whom are volunteers and work for a modest amount, and say that we are with them and the families in their work to support Australians who have suffered from drug and alcohol addiction, And I want to thank members on both sides of this House for their support in advancing these programs.