❓ A WA parliamentary question regarding the state government's drug strategy in comparison to the Australian National Council on Drugs' recommendations, with the minister highlighting WA's existing initiatives and criticising the opposition's stance.
AnsweredQoN 133Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
In the effort to cut heroin-related deaths, the Prime Minister’s drug advisory panel, the Australian National Council on Drugs, released a position paper recommending resuscitation training for drug users and Narcan trials. Can the minister indicate how this compares with the State Government’s drug strategy? Mr PRINCE
AnswerView source ↗
As the minister responsible for the administration of the drug strategy, it was interesting this morning to see in the local Press an article originating in Canberra which announced this discussion paper. To his eternal credit, the Prime Minister has taken on the issue of drug abuse and a number of very qualified people are working on that subject. He has released this position paper that talks about resuscitation training, availability of Narcan and a number of other issues. I want to highlight the position in Western Australia as opposed to the Opposition’s position, which is no position at all. On 14 August 1997 I launched what was then called the opiate overdose strategy, which is wide and encompassing. It involves a number of factors. First, if an ambulance is called to someone who has collapsed as a result of an opiate overdose, no police officer will attend. Second, Narcan is carried and used by ambulance officers. That took a good deal of encouragement because of the reticence of officers who were somewhat suspicious of it. They made the valid point that they had never lost overdose patients who were alive when they got to them, notwithstanding Narcan. Recently, in conjunction with a pharmacy foundation, I launched an insurance scheme to cover the cost of ambulance call-outs for those who collapse as a result of an overdose. Although that is seed-funded by the taxpayer, the ongoing funding comes from a levy on the sale of Fitpacks by pharmacists to addicts. It is a contribution made by the pharmacist. There has also been an extensive campaign targeting opiate users through postcards, posters, information on Fitpacks and other things on how not to get to a point where they collapse. St John Ambulance, the Australian Red Cross and other organisations have provided a lot of training in basic resuscitation techniques, including mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. There is also emergency department follow-up of all overdose cases, particularly those admitted to the major hospitals. The methadone treatment program has been extended statewide. As a result, at the beginning of this month the number of suspected deaths in this State due to heroin overdose had decreased from 59 last year to 53. The previous year there were 47 suspected deaths and 58 in 1997. Under the coronial system it takes some time before numbers can be confirmed - usually two to three years after the event - so we work on suspected numbers. In this State, the number of suspected deaths from heroin overdose has plateaued, notwithstanding the increasing availability of drugs. We have seen a number of initiatives and a great many people working on them. They have proved to be successful. This program has been picked up nationally. To his credit, the Prime Minister is pushing it forward nationally. On the other side of the fence, the Australian Labor Party has no policy, and it condemns our drug strategy. Members opposite have said they will have a meeting after the election - if they are elected. However, we can be certain that, under Labor, we will have shooting rooms in Northbridge and Fremantle, and the open drug dealing and other problems that exist elsewhere, particularly in New South Wales, that do not now exist here because our drug strategy is the only comprehensive strategy in Australia that works.
Mr PRINCE replied: As the minister responsible for the administration of the drug strategy, it was interesting this morning to see in the local Press an article originating in Canberra which announced this discussion paper. To his eternal credit, the Prime Minister has taken on the issue of drug abuse and a number of very qualified people are working on that subject. He has released this position paper that talks about resuscitation training, availability of Narcan and a number of other issues. I want to highlight the position in Western Australia as opposed to the Opposition’s position, which is no position at all. On 14 August 1997 I launched what was then called the opiate overdose strategy, which is wide and encompassing. It involves a number of factors. First, if an ambulance is called to someone who has collapsed as a result of an opiate overdose, no police officer will attend. Second, Narcan is carried and used by ambulance officers. That took a good deal of encouragement because of the reticence of officers who were somewhat suspicious of it. They made the valid point that they had never lost overdose patients who were alive when they got to them, notwithstanding Narcan. Recently, in conjunction with a pharmacy foundation, I launched an insurance scheme to cover the cost of ambulance call-outs for those who collapse as a result of an overdose. Although that is seed-funded by the taxpayer, the ongoing funding comes from a levy on the sale of Fitpacks by pharmacists to addicts. It is a contribution made by the pharmacist. There has also been an extensive campaign targeting opiate users through postcards, posters, information on Fitpacks and other things on how not to get to a point where they collapse. St John Ambulance, the Australian Red Cross and other organisations have provided a lot of training in basic resuscitation techniques, including mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. There is also emergency department follow-up of all overdose cases, particularly those admitted to the major hospitals. The methadone treatment program has been extended statewide. As a result, at the beginning of this month the number of suspected deaths in this State due to heroin overdose had decreased from 59 last year to 53. The previous year there were 47 suspected deaths and 58 in 1997. Under the coronial system it takes some time before numbers can be confirmed - usually two to three years after the event - so we work on suspected numbers. In this State, the number of suspected deaths from heroin overdose has plateaued, notwithstanding the increasing availability of drugs. We have seen a number of initiatives and a great many people working on them. They have proved to be successful. This program has been picked up nationally. To his credit, the Prime Minister is pushing it forward nationally. On the other side of the fence, the Australian Labor Party has no policy, and it condemns our drug strategy. Members opposite have said they will have a meeting after the election - if they are elected. However, we can be certain that, under Labor, we will have shooting rooms in Northbridge and Fremantle, and the open drug dealing and other problems that exist elsewhere, particularly in New South Wales, that do not now exist here because our drug strategy is the only comprehensive strategy in Australia that works.
As the minister responsible for the administration of the drug strategy, it was interesting this morning to see in the local Press an article originating in Canberra which announced this discussion paper. To his eternal credit, the Prime Minister has taken on the issue of drug abuse and a number of very qualified people are working on that subject. He has released this position paper that talks about resuscitation training, availability of Narcan and a number of other issues. I want to highlight the position in Western Australia as opposed to the Opposition’s position, which is no position at all. On 14 August 1997 I launched what was then called the opiate overdose strategy, which is wide and encompassing. It involves a number of factors. First, if an ambulance is called to someone who has collapsed as a result of an opiate overdose, no police officer will attend. Second, Narcan is carried and used by ambulance officers. That took a good deal of encouragement because of the reticence of officers who were somewhat suspicious of it. They made the valid point that they had never lost overdose patients who were alive when they got to them, notwithstanding Narcan. Recently, in conjunction with a pharmacy foundation, I launched an insurance scheme to cover the cost of ambulance call-outs for those who collapse as a result of an overdose. Although that is seed-funded by the taxpayer, the ongoing funding comes from a levy on the sale of Fitpacks by pharmacists to addicts. It is a contribution made by the pharmacist. There has also been an extensive campaign targeting opiate users through postcards, posters, information on Fitpacks and other things on how not to get to a point where they collapse. St John Ambulance, the Australian Red Cross and other organisations have provided a lot of training in basic resuscitation techniques, including mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. There is also emergency department follow-up of all overdose cases, particularly those admitted to the major hospitals. The methadone treatment program has been extended statewide. As a result, at the beginning of this month the number of suspected deaths in this State due to heroin overdose had decreased from 59 last year to 53. The previous year there were 47 suspected deaths and 58 in 1997. Under the coronial system it takes some time before numbers can be confirmed - usually two to three years after the event - so we work on suspected numbers. In this State, the number of suspected deaths from heroin overdose has plateaued, notwithstanding the increasing availability of drugs. We have seen a number of initiatives and a great many people working on them. They have proved to be successful. This program has been picked up nationally. To his credit, the Prime Minister is pushing it forward nationally. On the other side of the fence, the Australian Labor Party has no policy, and it condemns our drug strategy. Members opposite have said they will have a meeting after the election - if they are elected. However, we can be certain that, under Labor, we will have shooting rooms in Northbridge and Fremantle, and the open drug dealing and other problems that exist elsewhere, particularly in New South Wales, that do not now exist here because our drug strategy is the only comprehensive strategy in Australia that works.
On the other side of the fence, the Australian Labor Party has no policy, and it condemns our drug strategy. Members opposite have said they will have a meeting after the election - if they are elected. However, we can be certain that, under Labor, we will have shooting rooms in Northbridge and Fremantle, and the open drug dealing and other problems that exist elsewhere, particularly in New South Wales, that do not now exist here because our drug strategy is the only comprehensive strategy in Australia that works.
Mr PRINCE replied: As the minister responsible for the administration of the drug strategy, it was interesting this morning to see in the local Press an article originating in Canberra which announced this discussion paper. To his eternal credit, the Prime Minister has taken on the issue of drug abuse and a number of very qualified people are working on that subject. He has released this position paper that talks about resuscitation training, availability of Narcan and a number of other issues. I want to highlight the position in Western Australia as opposed to the Opposition’s position, which is no position at all. On 14 August 1997 I launched what was then called the opiate overdose strategy, which is wide and encompassing. It involves a number of factors. First, if an ambulance is called to someone who has collapsed as a result of an opiate overdose, no police officer will attend. Second, Narcan is carried and used by ambulance officers. That took a good deal of encouragement because of the reticence of officers who were somewhat suspicious of it. They made the valid point that they had never lost overdose patients who were alive when they got to them, notwithstanding Narcan. Recently, in conjunction with a pharmacy foundation, I launched an insurance scheme to cover the cost of ambulance call-outs for those who collapse as a result of an overdose. Although that is seed-funded by the taxpayer, the ongoing funding comes from a levy on the sale of Fitpacks by pharmacists to addicts. It is a contribution made by the pharmacist. There has also been an extensive campaign targeting opiate users through postcards, posters, information on Fitpacks and other things on how not to get to a point where they collapse. St John Ambulance, the Australian Red Cross and other organisations have provided a lot of training in basic resuscitation techniques, including mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. There is also emergency department follow-up of all overdose cases, particularly those admitted to the major hospitals. The methadone treatment program has been extended statewide. As a result, at the beginning of this month the number of suspected deaths in this State due to heroin overdose had decreased from 59 last year to 53. The previous year there were 47 suspected deaths and 58 in 1997. Under the coronial system it takes some time before numbers can be confirmed - usually two to three years after the event - so we work on suspected numbers. In this State, the number of suspected deaths from heroin overdose has plateaued, notwithstanding the increasing availability of drugs. We have seen a number of initiatives and a great many people working on them. They have proved to be successful. This program has been picked up nationally. To his credit, the Prime Minister is pushing it forward nationally. On the other side of the fence, the Australian Labor Party has no policy, and it condemns our drug strategy. Members opposite have said they will have a meeting after the election - if they are elected. However, we can be certain that, under Labor, we will have shooting rooms in Northbridge and Fremantle, and the open drug dealing and other problems that exist elsewhere, particularly in New South Wales, that do not now exist here because our drug strategy is the only comprehensive strategy in Australia that works.
As the minister responsible for the administration of the drug strategy, it was interesting this morning to see in the local Press an article originating in Canberra which announced this discussion paper. To his eternal credit, the Prime Minister has taken on the issue of drug abuse and a number of very qualified people are working on that subject. He has released this position paper that talks about resuscitation training, availability of Narcan and a number of other issues. I want to highlight the position in Western Australia as opposed to the Opposition’s position, which is no position at all. On 14 August 1997 I launched what was then called the opiate overdose strategy, which is wide and encompassing. It involves a number of factors. First, if an ambulance is called to someone who has collapsed as a result of an opiate overdose, no police officer will attend. Second, Narcan is carried and used by ambulance officers. That took a good deal of encouragement because of the reticence of officers who were somewhat suspicious of it. They made the valid point that they had never lost overdose patients who were alive when they got to them, notwithstanding Narcan. Recently, in conjunction with a pharmacy foundation, I launched an insurance scheme to cover the cost of ambulance call-outs for those who collapse as a result of an overdose. Although that is seed-funded by the taxpayer, the ongoing funding comes from a levy on the sale of Fitpacks by pharmacists to addicts. It is a contribution made by the pharmacist. There has also been an extensive campaign targeting opiate users through postcards, posters, information on Fitpacks and other things on how not to get to a point where they collapse. St John Ambulance, the Australian Red Cross and other organisations have provided a lot of training in basic resuscitation techniques, including mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. There is also emergency department follow-up of all overdose cases, particularly those admitted to the major hospitals. The methadone treatment program has been extended statewide. As a result, at the beginning of this month the number of suspected deaths in this State due to heroin overdose had decreased from 59 last year to 53. The previous year there were 47 suspected deaths and 58 in 1997. Under the coronial system it takes some time before numbers can be confirmed - usually two to three years after the event - so we work on suspected numbers. In this State, the number of suspected deaths from heroin overdose has plateaued, notwithstanding the increasing availability of drugs. We have seen a number of initiatives and a great many people working on them. They have proved to be successful. This program has been picked up nationally. To his credit, the Prime Minister is pushing it forward nationally. On the other side of the fence, the Australian Labor Party has no policy, and it condemns our drug strategy. Members opposite have said they will have a meeting after the election - if they are elected. However, we can be certain that, under Labor, we will have shooting rooms in Northbridge and Fremantle, and the open drug dealing and other problems that exist elsewhere, particularly in New South Wales, that do not now exist here because our drug strategy is the only comprehensive strategy in Australia that works.
On the other side of the fence, the Australian Labor Party has no policy, and it condemns our drug strategy. Members opposite have said they will have a meeting after the election - if they are elected. However, we can be certain that, under Labor, we will have shooting rooms in Northbridge and Fremantle, and the open drug dealing and other problems that exist elsewhere, particularly in New South Wales, that do not now exist here because our drug strategy is the only comprehensive strategy in Australia that works.
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