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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 01 Hansard (Tuesday, 10 February 2004) . . Page.. 49 ..

in the ACT. The government response agrees with five of the committee’s recommendations, gives in-principle agreement to another five, and notes the content of the remaining three recommendations.

The government response makes a number of suggestions with respect to improving access to needles and syringes in the ACT. These relate to improving the information available to both the user groups and the community and increasing the number, location and diversity of injecting equipment outlets. Education of user groups in the community is essential to ensuring a high level of awareness of supply and disposal standards and guidelines. A significant amount of information and education material is currently available to both intravenous drug users and the wider community.

In 2002, the government developed three information brochures to inform specific target groups—injecting drug users and people with diabetes and other medical conditions—about safe disposal and to inform the public about correct health and safety procedures in the event of discovering discarded injecting equipment. Earlier this year the effectiveness of the three brochures was reviewed and a single revised brochure was subsequently developed. The brochure was published in mid-2003 and is now available from libraries, shopfronts, health centres, Directions ACT and other associations. The brochure is also being distributed through pharmacies with syringe packs.

The ACT has one of the highest return rates of needles and syringes in Australia. During 2002, the recovery rate was between 85 and 90 per cent. Over the past 12 months there has been a significant decrease in the number of sharps disposed of inappropriately in public toilets and open spaces. All public toilets have been fitted with disposal-safe chutes and many large bins have also been put in place. A free pick-up service for sharps from private land and ACT Housing properties has also been introduced.

The government will continue to monitor the effect of existing information and education material to ensure that safe disposal standards remain high. The government will also continue to coordinate education programs aimed at educating all sectors of the community about these issues and will continue to improve the availability and use of appropriate infrastructure for the recovery of used sharps.

Mr Speaker, access to clean injecting equipment for intravenous drug users at a range of times and from a variety of locations is vital to reducing the prevalence of unsafe injecting. The government believes that it is important to assess opportunities to increase the number and opening hours of needle and syringe outlets. The government has made available a quarter of a million dollars this financial year to support the implementation of a number of high-priority projects identified in the draft ACT alcohol, tobacco and other drugs strategy finalised in November last year.

These priorities include establishing a trial of vending machines for dispensing needles and syringes in the ACT. The trial will provide 24-hour access to sterile injecting equipment across a range of sites in the ACT. The ACT government will implement this trial in early 2004. The introduction of vending machines in the ACT will be a cost-effective alternative to extending opening hours of current needle and syringe program outlets.

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