Chris Ellison (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Hansard source

As I recall this program, we initiated that in Alice Springs and there was a plan to roll that out further in relation to Aboriginal communities. The extent of the Opal fuel initiative is one that I will check on and get back to Senator Siewert. It is something that we are concentrating on because it is very important in relation to Indigenous health and the prevention of substance abuse.

I think there was a report recently which dealt with the prevalence of petrol sniffing and substance abuse on the APY lands, which may be what Senator Siewert is referring to. Opal unleaded fuel is applied to 16 communities in these lands and has played an important role in reducing petrol sniffing in the region. A recent health survey shows more than a 80 per cent reduction in the prevalence of petrol sniffing across the APY lands since the last survey in October 2004. That is certainly a positive indication but not something that we take as being the final answer. There is still work to be done in relation to this issue. The survey highlights the fact that only a few school-age children have been experimenting with petrol sniffing since October 2005. That is a positive indication because it demonstrates a lack of uptake—that is, new entrants, if you like—into the cohort of young people who are petrol sniffing.

Certainly the government is committed to a long-term approach to addressing petrol sniffing. A total of $91.2 million has been provided over five years to tackle this very issue and $42.7 million of this funding will be used to support the continued rollout of Opal fuel. Already 69 remote Indigenous communities across Australia are using Opal fuel and 24 roadhouses and other participants are supplying Opal fuel, which is of course a very important aspect when you consider the geographic locations of these outlets. If there is anything further I can add to that I will advise the Senate accordingly.