Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 12 Hansard (25 November) . . Page.. 3678 ..

MR MOORE (continuing):

our community who need our help now. The more we can reduce the harms associated with drug use, the more opportunities we will have to intervene and ultimately assist people to become free of their addictions.

The ACT Government recognises that a wide range of responses is needed for a wide range of victims of drug abuse. It means looking for new solutions. It means investigating things that might work even if we cannot be certain in advance. In a situation in which some of our citizens are dying, we should not sit hesitating in the face of demands for impossible guarantees of absolute success. A supervised injecting place is one such possible approach among a range of responses.

A supervised injecting place would provide a clean, protected and stable environment. It would be a place where clients could access clean injecting equipment, it would allow them to inject in a supervised environment and it would enable them to dispose of their used injecting equipment safely. Just as importantly though, a supervised injecting place would provide links, or indeed a gateway, to a range of services including health promotion, counselling and medical treatment, as well as referral to appropriate services such as housing or sexual assault services for further assistance. It would be an entry point for injecting drug users to access detoxification services or to be linked with methadone or other treatment programs.

This Government is the most consultative government in Australia and on this difficult issue the Government has led the community through a process of consultation and debate over more than a year. Earlier this year the Government hosted a public forum to discuss issues surrounding the proposed scientific trial of a supervised injecting place. At this forum a young injecting drug user shared his experience of "dropping" in a timed toilet cubicle in central Civic area. The young man had gone to the toilets to inject heroin. Shortly afterwards though he fell unconscious and later ceased breathing. Because of the nature of these toilets, the doors remain locked for up to 10 minutes before being flung open. After the young man going without oxygen for anywhere up to 10 minutes, a passer-by noticed the young man and began lifesaving resuscitation. While this young man was extremely lucky to be alive to tell his story, there are many more like him who are not so fortunate.

One of the key aspects of the supervised injecting facility would be the presence of qualified health workers at the facility. Staff would be present to administer help in the event of an overdose. In being available to help they can and almost certainly will save lives. Although only a small number of Australians inject dangerous drugs the public safety impact of this use is significant. It is particularly significant in regard to the spread of blood borne diseases and in regard to deaths caused by overdoses. Mr Speaker, nothing is more important than the saving of lives. A dead drug user cannot be persuaded into treatment. A dead drug user does not hear any messages.

The abuse of drugs also affects the wider community and the public space we all share. I am sure that all members will agree that there is considerable community concern about the use of public toilets and public places for injecting activities. The use of public toilets for drug injecting makes these facilities hazardous to all members of the public and, where injecting takes place in recreation areas such as parks, potential dangers to children are especially high.

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .