Terry Young (Longman, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Illegal drugs are a scourge on our community and drug addiction will tear families apart and shatter lives. Chances are we all know someone who is currently struggling with an addiction to drugs and alcohol, or a family in our community who has lost a loved one to drugs. People who are struggling with addiction may not have the support they need to be able to break away from what is a vicious cycle. Anyone who has struggled will know that you cannot do it alone. Some people have grown up in an environment where drug dependency was a way of life. For others, the lure of drugs at some point in their lives has been too strong. Some people may never have had a choice. Drug dependency is not a life we want for Australians. We need to help users and addicts to turn their lives around and we need to crack down on the supply of illegal drugs.

When I was elected as the federal member for Longman last year, I made the decision to make tackling drugs and crime a key priority to achieve for the community I have lived in and loved for many years. Along with law enforcement measures and improving employment pathways, I believe investing in rehabilitation and recovery support services can provide the path away from drugs. In my electorate of Longman, we recently opened a new live-in alcohol and drug recovery centre called Wunya, in the heart of Caboolture, operated by the not-for-profit organisation Lives Lived Well. The new centre is playing a big part in helping people in Longman and the Moreton Bay region to combat drug and alcohol addiction.

This new 20-bed recovery centre was made possible thanks to the $11 million in federal government funding provided to Lives Lived Well, which was allocated in response to the strong demand for drug and alcohol support services in the Longman area, particularly in Morayfield and Caboolture. This centre will offer a six-week structured and research backed residential program with a focus on education, wellness and life skills for people aged 18 years and over. Taking a harm reduction and holistic approach, the centre has a dedicated onsite team of psychologists, social workers, counsellors and a nurse.

When I visited the centre just weeks after it began operations, I was delighted to speak with one of the participants in the program, who informed me he was doing the program again as it had changed his life and he wanted to make sure he didn't fall back into old habits. Wunya gives people battling addictions a second, third or 10th chance at a better life. Investing in our community services is vital if we are to deliver on our commitment to help those who need it most.

Another wonderful support service helping people and their families across Australia affected by drug addiction is Family Drug Support Australia. FDS was founded by public health advocate Tony Trimingham OAM after the tragic death of his son Damien many years ago from a drug overdose. His dedication and commitment in establishing FDS to help others and prevent others from reaching the same tragic fate as his son is truly heroic. I was honoured to attend an FDS event this year, where, I was pleased to say, the Morrison government pledged $900,000 to Family Drug Support Australia so that it can continue providing a free 24-hour support line for families dealing with drug issues. This funding will allow FDS to continue their national toll-free telephone support line for families. It will also help to enhance Family Drug Support's mobile and online systems and support the training of the organisation's dedicated volunteers. The national number, 1300368186, currently receives over 25,000 calls each year from families dealing with drug and alcohol issues who need advice, information or assistance.

Along with advocating for increased investment in community services, I've also been working to tackle drugs and crime by promoting more jobs in our region. The federal government's Moreton Bay jobs fair in my electorate of Longman was held earlier this year and was a great success. Thousands of people attended to learn more about the job opportunities in our region. I spoke to many people to hear their personal stories and aspirations for work. It showed me that people in Longman want to work. Providing more jobs in Longman is critical if we are to prevent and reduce drug and alcohol misuse.

Nationally the government has committed more than $720 million over four years to reduce the impact of drug and alcohol misuse, which includes more than $544 million for treatment services. To tackle the scourge of ice, we have invested $450 million in our National Ice Action Strategy. This includes funding for over 240 local drug action teams, which help with prevention strategies including education in schools and support for young people. We've also delivered an extra 471 local drug and alcohol services since 2016 based on community need. Our education and treatment initiatives are co-coordinated with our law enforcement efforts, which are focused on reducing the supply of illegal drugs by cracking down on importers, manufacturers and dealers. As part of the government's enforcement strategy, $152 million over four years has been provided to disrupt and reduce the supply of illicit drugs such as ice.