Page 3093 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 24 September 2014
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… studies have demonstrated alterations in the activity of the dopamine system that are associated with reduced motor speed and impaired verbal learning. Studies in chronic methamphetamine abusers have also revealed severe structural and functional changes in areas of the brain associated with emotion and memory, which may account for many of the emotional and cognitive problems observed in chronic … abusers.
To recap, continued drug use promotes symptoms such as addiction, psychosis, paranoia, hallucinations, repetitive motor activity, changes in the brain structure function, deficits in thinking and motor skills, increased distractibility, memory loss, aggressive or violent behaviour and mood disturbances, as well as other ongoing health problems around dental and weight loss.
On balance, the health issues articulated by those opposite need to be weighed up against the inherent ongoing symptoms and health flaws that a systematic and prolonged user of drugs will face. They need to be weighed up on balance and on merit as to what are the right means going forward.
There also still needs to be a broader discussion. If we are talking about the transmission of blood-borne viruses such as hepatitis C, other issues need to be addressed, such as sexual contact within the prison system and other practices such as jailhouse tattooing and how those are done more safely. It is not simply a one-issue debate.
The other issue that was raised quite broadly in the debate was that of workplace safety. I might draw the government’s attention to a recently concluded court case in Victoria, where a teacher has recently successfully sued the Victorian government for failing in its duty of care after this teacher had a breakdown following being forced to teach classes with unruly and disruptive children.
The question remains: what liability is the government potentially opening itself up to if it continues to force corrections staff to work within a workplace environment that includes an NSP—a corrections environment that is already a very high risk workplace?
The Canberra Liberals and I remain committed to opposing this policy and its implementation, and we will continue to represent the views of the corrections officers and the prisoners, and the broader view of the community, and keep in line with the expectation that drugs and needles do not belong in our prison.
Question put:
That the motion be agreed to.
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