Page 4307 - Week 14 - Tuesday, 7 December 1993
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New South Wales at a time when it was simply unacceptable to the community at large, and we now see the benefits of that. You would have expected AIDS to have spread substantially more than it actually has, and it is very hard to look past syringe exchange as being at least one of the reasons that that has not happened.
Mr Berry spoke, as did Mr Moore, about informed debate. I think that is important. I also think it is important for politicians, on both sides of politics, to be willing to stand up and be counted on this issue. There are a number of things that Mr Moore says that I do not agree with; but, in essence, he is trying to make politicians like me and my colleagues - and, I expect, everyone in this house - think about this issue and stand up and be counted. We have to look for alternatives, and that is one of the reasons why the Liberal Party, and everyone in this house, I understand, have supported the heroin trial. Initiatives like this have a potential to contribute to an improved situation for all Australians. Again I say that I do not agree with all of what Mr Moore says, but I congratulate him for bringing this issue to light today, and also in the community and in the political spectrum all over Australia. I hope that his efforts, and the efforts of all those here, will produce the informed debate that Mr Berry spoke about.
MS SZUTY (3.40): I wish to speak briefly to this matter of public importance today. As a signatory to the "Charter for Drug Law Reform", I endorse the preamble and the need for urgent reforms, and the short- and long-term goals as outlined. I endorse the comments made by my colleague Mr Moore, and also the opening statement which introduces the charter. I will read that for the benefit of members. It says:
This Charter seeks to encourage a more rational, tolerant, non-judgmental, humanitarian and understanding approach to people who currently use illicit drugs in our community. The aims of the Australian Parliamentary Group for Drug Law Reform are to minimise the adverse health, social and economic consequences of Australia's policies and laws controlling drug use and supply.
I think, Madam Speaker, that we have tended to focus our approach to drug law reform on the licit and illicit drugs themselves, and not on the people who take them, their reasons and rationale for so doing, and the consequences to them.
The Australian Parliamentary Group for Drug Law Reform convened earlier this year will, I believe, go a long way to addressing outstanding issues in relation to drug law reform. Its influence and impetus will grow as more and more prominent people in our Australian community support its aims, objectives and subsequent actions. The work done by my colleague Mr Moore in this area speaks for itself, and I congratulate him for raising drug law reform as a matter of public importance for debate today. I note also that in October this year the Australian Public Health Association adopted a policy consistent with the "Charter for Drug Law Reform". I think it is an ongoing reform that Australia will see more and more of in the years to come. I note also that Mr Moore, for the benefit of this Assembly, recited many of the names and the positions of people who are signatories to the "Charter for Drug Law Reform" and people who have provided endorsements to it. I congratulate Mr Moore for the work he has done in this area, and I expect that this Assembly will see more of it in the near future.
MADAM SPEAKER: The discussion is concluded.
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