Page 2488 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 31 July 2019
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speak briefly on the broader therapeutic work. When it comes to people who face the courts primarily as a result of addiction this government is focused on the evidence of what we have about their behaviour.
The evidence is overwhelmingly clear that treating addiction as an issue of right and wrong is not only ineffective but it does not stack up with the biology and psychology we know about drug use. The criminalisation and moralisation about drug use that occurs from time to time are proven ways to fail as policymakers. That is true when it comes to drug use not just among our young people but also across the broader community. With the attention being paid today to a therapeutic approach I look forward to everyone in this Assembly joining in a tripartisan rejection of what we know is a failed law-and-order-style approach to drug use.
The ACT government is working hard to ensure that our policies reflect the strongest and latest evidence. That commitment to turning evidence into action is part of my approach to the work of the courts. The evidence is very strong that if we provide the right support services to people with drug and alcohol problems at the right point of contact with the judicial system we can address those dependencies and, in turn, we can build more resilient people, more resilient families and a stronger community as a whole. That is why this government has made the establishment of the drug and alcohol court one of its top priorities. It is the example of therapeutic justice and prioritises treating the causes of the crime and preventing recidivism.
The former Minister for Health and Wellbeing and I had the privilege of joining His Honour Judge Roger Dive in the Parramatta drug court last year to see firsthand what the harm minimisation focus can achieve. We saw that through building relationships and surrounding vulnerable people with support new beginnings are possible and the root cause of offending can be addressed very effectively.
Here in the ACT the development of a drug and alcohol court has been focused on relationships. Corrective Services, the Director of Public Prosecutions, Legal Aid ACT and ACT Policing will all have an important role to play, along with health and broader social services.
I make particular mention of Her Honour Chief Justice Helen Murrell and His Honour Justice Burns for their strong support in this process. I also place on record in this chamber my appreciation to the ministers, judicial officers and officials from several jurisdictions, including Victoria, who were very cooperative with us in the formation of the drug and alcohol court model that we are recommending for adoption in the ACT.
Just this week I announced a major milestone in the development of our new therapeutic jurisdiction. Chief Magistrate Lorraine Walker has been appointed as an acting judge to preside over the drug and alcohol court in the ACT. Her honour’s commitment to therapeutic jurisprudence has been clearly demonstrated.
Following engagement with her in her role as Chief Magistrate, the government has also committed to the establishment of a therapeutic care court for care and protection matters heard within the Children’s Court. This will provide court-led interventions
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