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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 4 Hansard (25 June) . . Page.. 1110 ..

MR MOORE (continuing):

Moreover, the Government believes that the possible repeal of the offence of self-administration should be considered within the broader context of the Government's approach to illicit drug issues. I have therefore requested that detailed consideration be given to options for minimising harm and increasing safety for both injecting drug users and society in general.

I intend to present a comprehensive proposal to the Legislative Assembly at a later stage. It may then be appropriate to have the matter referred to the Legislative Assembly's Health and Community Care Standing Committee. The repeal of the offence of self-administration is consistent with the principle of harm minimisation, which underpins both the national and ACT drug strategies. Harm minimisation recognises that drug policies and programs should strive to minimise the actual and potential harms associated with drug use, not just to eliminate such use. This is a view which has been endorsed by all Australian governments and all Australian police services. I note that Victoria Police Commissioner, Neil Comrie, has recently been quoted as saying that government "should explore alternative means of dealing with those people who actually abuse drugs". I believe that it is important that these issues be examined in a considered, evidence-based manner. I seek the support of all Assembly members in ensuring that a constructive debate occurs.

Thirdly, I would like to talk about the problems of a solely abstinence-based approach to illicit drugs. Members of the Legislative Assembly would agree that the ACT has developed a reputation as one of the leading Australian jurisdictions in minimising the harm that results from misuse of drugs. The ACT is a national leader in tobacco control, having been recognised in the past two years by the Australian Medical Association for action in this area. The Alcohol and Other Drugs Council of Australia has noted that the ACT provides more funding on drug programs and services per capita than all other jurisdictions with the exception of the Northern Territory. ADCA also ranked the ACT second in ensuring that treatment programs and services are available and ensuring programs are provided to prevent and reduce problems. Most importantly, the ACT is recognised as a jurisdiction which has established a wide range of evidence-based services to deal with various harms resulting from the misuse of drugs. Our approach is firmly based on the fundamental principle of harm minimisation, both for those individuals affected by drug use and abuse and for society in general.

The ACT Government is therefore well placed to comment on some of the trends which appear to be occurring in terms of national drug policy. Let me reiterate what the Chief Minister has previously said. It is unfortunate that the Prime Minister's recently announced national illicit drug strategy relies little on evidence and much on ideological preconceptions. I concur with the Chief Minister on that. I understand from several sources that the Prime Minister has drawn strongly on United States influences in advocating an abstinence-based "war on drugs" approach to the problems of drugs misuse in the Australian community. This approach represents a very real movement away from harm minimisation. It needs to be recognised that, just as there are a range of harms resulting from the misuse of drugs, so there must be a range of approaches to address these harms. Abstinence is an important part of harm minimisation but it is only one component.

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