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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 10 Hansard (25 September) . . Page.. 3391 ..

MINISTER FOR POLICE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES

Drug Use Prevention Programs

Mr Wood - Asked the Minister for Police and Emergency Services:

For each of the financial years 1995/96, 1996/97 and 1997/98

(1) Can you provide details of any drug use prevention programs (a) administered by your department or (b) funded by your department.

(2) Could you provide details of the nature of these programs.

(3) What is (a) the cost of these programs; and (b) the source of funds.

(4) What is the number of participants that are or were in the program.

(5) What is the length of the program.

(6) Are there any assessment that has been made of their effectiveness.

Mr Humphries -The following answer to Mr Wood's question covers my capacities as both Attorney-General and Minister for Police and Emergency Services.

(1 & 2)

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) employs a full time drug and alcohol co-ordinator who liases with a range of government and non-government organisations on drug prevention issues. In addition, AFP members regularly deliver lectures on drug awareness to organisations actively involved in a drug prevention program such as Family Services Branch, the Alcohol and Drug Service, Neighbourhood Watch and schools.

The AFP is also involved in a number of programs to reduce the harmful effects of both illicit and licit drugs. These include specific law enforcement operations against traffickers and users of illicit drugs as well as programs such as encouraging responsible serving of alcohol, random breath testing and enforcement of occupational loadings of licensed premises which aim to prevent excessive alcohol consumption.

The AFP was recently involved in a workshop aimed at reducing alcohol related harm in and around licensed premises. Other key stakeholders participating in the workshop included the Australian Hotels Association, the Licensed Clubs Association, the Liquor Licensing and Operations Section of the Attorney-General's Department, the National Centre for Education and Training, and the ACT Fire Brigade.

In 1995/96 ACT Corrective Services, funded and, through its Community Corrections unit, administered a drink driving education program which ceased in February 1996. The Service has not administered any other drug prevention program nor are any envisaged.

Since February 1996, ACT Corrective Services have accessed the "Drink Driver Education Program" run by the Alcohol and Drug Foundation of the Australian Capital Territory (ADFACT) for offenders on Community Based Orders. This is an educative and prevention program and is aimed at lasting behavioural change. Although the Program itself does not receive budgetary funding, ACT Corrective Services pays the course costs of those offenders which it directs to undertake the program. These include unemployed drink driving offenders

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