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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 11 Hansard (19 October) . . Page.. 3242 ..

MS TUCKER (continuing):

solutions to its problems. I understand that there has been a call for a committee inquiry into some of these matters, so I will wait with interest to see whether that is forthcoming.

Turning to the draft education strategy that we were shown, I was concerned about how much responsibility was left to schools to develop their own education strategies. Obviously, while a strategy like this has to have ownership from the school community, as the draft drugs strategy was printed it seems to be incredibly broad in terms of zero tolerance right through to harm minimisation. How individual school boards and communities interpret that document will be very interesting to see. I am very concerned to see where the resources are going to be to actually support schools in developing those strategies. I understand that the ACT Alcohol and Drug Programs Health Promotions Unit, which used to be a much valued community resource, is no longer working as a unit or as a particular expert group. (Extension of time granted)

The specialists who used to be employed in this unit were available to develop programs and to visit schools and community groups such as the Trades and Labour Council and parents groups. They held information stalls in Civic about the effects of cannabis, and they developed award winning poster education campaigns and visited government agencies such as the AFP. I wonder who is going to provide the resources to schools now that this group, this health promotion unit, is no longer functioning.

I was interested to see the AFP's drug education document which apparently they take around to schools. There is a very strong health focus in that, so maybe the AFP has been given the responsibility of health promotion, which is interesting in itself. I would have thought they had plenty to do already, but at least they are picking up the work.

Mr Rugendyke: They are good at it, too.

MS TUCKER: "They are good at it, too", Mr Rugendyke says. I am sure they are, Mr Rugendyke.

On the issue of treatment generally, ANU researcher, Gabriele Bammer, emphasises the importance of psychosocial supports in ongoing treatment for people with and moving away from drug addictions. One of the options which community and government treatment services have developed in the ACT is relapse prevention group sessions in which new habits are reinforced. It is a reference point for people seeking to move away from drugs in their lives. It is about getting people to get straight while they are on the streets and about support for the new attitudes, belief systems and habits - the very model of what the Minister for Health promoted as he indicated the real success of our programs in his response to the national approach to illicit drug use. I quote:

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