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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 08 Hansard (Tuesday, 3 August 2004) . . Page.. 3337 ..

In order to promote a constructive and meaningful debate, this revised explanatory statement has been circulated out of session so that members may fully consider the additional information. I hope that it assists members in their consideration of this very important bill and that we may all work together in order to promote a sustainable Canberra for the future. I commend the revised explanatory statement to the Assembly.

Alcohol, tobacco and other drug strategy

Paper and statement by minister

MR WOOD (Minister for Disability, Housing and Community Services, Minister for Urban Services, Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Minister for Arts and Heritage, and Acting Minister for Health): For the information of members, I present the following paper:

ACT Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Strategy 2004-2008.

I seek leave to make a tabling statement.

Leave granted.

MR WOOD: It gives me great pleasure to present the ACT alcohol, tobacco and other drug strategy 2004-08. The government convened the drug task force in August 2002. Its main task was to develop the draft strategy. The task force membership was broad and included links to a wide range of community organisations. An important part of the development of the strategy was the community consultations undertaken with the wider community. The task force also commissioned its own research and analysed the extensive data and research already available. Drawing upon these sources of information, the task force developed and refined this draft strategy. It presented the draft strategy to government in December 2003. The strategy includes a proposed list of actions that were prioritised by the task force.

Following preliminary consideration of the draft, the government made available $250,000 in 2003-04 to support the implementation of a number of high-priority actions identified in the draft. These included creating 100 additional subsidised places on the methadone and buprenorphine program, establishing a trial of vending machines for dispensing needles and syringes, increasing and improving support for peer based models of service delivery support and advocacy and community development, strengthening training programs across the sector, implementation of the findings of the national evaluation of pharmacotherapies for opiate dependence and distribution of resources and monitoring and evaluation of the strategy.

This commitment was further strengthened through funding made available in the 2004-05 budget. $562,000 over four years was allocated to identify and implement successful school alcohol and drug education programs. Peer education, including mentoring programs, will be introduced into ACT schools to prevent and address drug and alcohol problems. $642,000 over four years was provided to target the illegal supply of tobacco to minors and test whether tobacco retailers are complying with the legislation. $416,000 over four years was provided to strengthen and increase case-management services for clients with complex needs, particularly those utilising

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