Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Assistant Minister for Health) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator McKenzie for her question and note her very significant interest in this. Indeed, Senator McKenzie was one of the first of my colleagues to raise this as an issue with me. This is a devastating issue across the nation. The coalition has been extremely concerned about this and I have, personally, for a significant period of time now. There has been a rapid escalation in the use of this drug right across the country, borne out by the National Drug Strategy Household Survey and also by the Australian Crime Commission.

As I have been travelling around it has not ceased to worry me, the tragic stories that are coming before us. I was in Moree recently with the member for Parkes, Mark Coulton, where there is the tragic story of a young brother and sister who, following the use of ice, both suicided. This is not an isolated event. This is happening right across the country—the psychosis, the impact that it has, the long-term psychological issues and the links to violent criminal attacks and assaults. People now, right across the country, are becoming aware of the devastating nature of this drug.

The government moved, in April, to form the National Ice Taskforce, leading to a national ice strategy. On the task force we have Ken Lay, the previous police commissioner in Victoria, Dr Sally McCarthy and Professor Richard Murray. They will be travelling the country, as I and my colleague Minister Keenan will, running community consultations, round tables, making sure we get that input from the community as well, so a report can come to government—an interim report by the middle of the year—which will do a stocktake, if you like, to see exactly where we are at, across the country, in dealing with this drug.

Nobody believes they will get addicted to the drug. People think they can manage it. I can assure you, Mr President, they cannot. That is why the government is taking this so seriously.