Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Hansard source

I think we are all agreed in this place that the scourge of ice and other drug-taking is a matter that is destroying lives, not only for the individuals that are taking these illegal and highly inappropriate substances but also for their families and their communities, and indeed it undermines society at large. The honourable senator can be assured that we as a government would seek to work with anybody that has ideas to put forward to overcome this as an issue but also for individuals. We can discuss numbers all we like, but each one of those numbers is an individual person with an individual very, very sorry tale to tell and then a family around that person as well. Indeed, the honourable senator is only too painfully aware of that herself, with her recent media commentary on how this matter has affected her own family.

The suggestion put forward by the honourable senator will of course be considered by government. What I would say to her is that, any approach should be evidence based and should have some professional input. I must say that I for one—and please do not take this as government policy—am attracted to the suggestion of the honourable senator, because asking for consensual agreement from people who are so, if I can use the colloquialism, out of their mind as to be unable to give proper, informed consent really does lead us in the dilemma we are in as a community. (Time expired)