Page 2485 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 31 July 2019
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
The final report of the blueprint for youth justice taskforce identifies 10 areas for future focus, including to maintain and continually improve quality therapeutic services in detention. This includes a commitment to improve the provision of services in Bimberi to build young people’s life skills and provide tailored alcohol and other drug treatment and counselling services and support. I acknowledge that the Human Rights Commission found a need to improve such services, and we are committed to working between the Community Services Directorate and Health Services to do this.
As I alluded to previously, drug use and offending are often symptoms of trauma or other issues in young people’s lives. The root cause of offending is not necessarily drug use but the broader circumstances people find themselves in, of which drug use may be a symptom. The root cause must be addressed if we are to solve the dual issue of youth offending and drug and alcohol dependency.
It is the government’s aim to build services across the spectrum of our human services agency which support children and families earlier and more effectively. The government’s intention is to prevent crisis, to prevent youth offending and the need for detention, and to prevent drug and alcohol dependence. Drug and alcohol dependence is a complex medical condition whose treatment in young people requires evidence-based trauma-informed supports and services. This is what we are committed to.
Again, I thank Mrs Kikkert for bringing this motion to the Assembly. We will certainly undertake this work with the experts, consulting with our colleagues in Victoria. But, as noted, I am going to move an amendment to remove the last part of Mrs Kikkert’s motion, to remove the reference to adding these findings into the drug strategy action plan. It is not necessary, given the actions that are already included in the drug strategy action plan, and retrofitting this into the drug strategy action plan does not necessarily make sense.
I look forward to reporting back to the Assembly no later than the last sitting day of 2019 on this very important work. I again thank Mrs Kikkert for bringing this matter to the Assembly. I move:
Omit paragraph 5(c).
MRS DUNNE (Ginninderra) (11.46): I commend Mrs Kikkert for bringing this motion before the Assembly. Like the minister, I commend Mrs Kikkert for the passion and commitment she brings to these issues and her fantastic advocacy for young people at risk. Our alcohol, tobacco and drug strategy should focus on the needs of the people in the community who have the biggest problems. People with complex substance abuse disorders not only have problems with drug use but often problems with mental health and the criminal justice system.
Mrs Kikkert highlighted that the commission-initiated review of allegations regarding the Bimberi Youth Justice Centre stated that 90 per cent of young people at Bimberi have had involvement with drugs in the community, which highlights the connection
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video