❓ Opposition questions the Health Minister about funding cuts to the Meth Helpline despite increased demand and unanswered calls. The Minister defends the government's broader meth strategy, stating the funding was a temporary program by the previous government and call answering rates are consistent.
AnsweredQoN 664Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
METH HELPLINE —
FUNDING
664. Mr S.K. L'ESTRANGE to the Minister for Health:
Can I first please acknowledge the
year 11 girls from St Mary's Anglican Girls' School, which is
in the member for Scarborough's electorate, who join us in the gallery
today.
Between 2015–16 and 2016–17
calls to the Meth Helpline increased by over 35 per cent, but in 2016–17
24 per cent of calls were not answered. Why has the minister decided to cut
funding by $154 000 at a time when demand for help is increasing and calls are
already going unanswered?
FUNDING
664. Mr S.K. L'ESTRANGE to the Minister for Health:
Can I first please acknowledge the
year 11 girls from St Mary's Anglican Girls' School, which is
in the member for Scarborough's electorate, who join us in the gallery
today.
Between 2015–16 and 2016–17
calls to the Meth Helpline increased by over 35 per cent, but in 2016–17
24 per cent of calls were not answered. Why has the minister decided to cut
funding by $154 000 at a time when demand for help is increasing and calls are
already going unanswered?
AnswerView source ↗
The McGowan government's
commitment to fighting the scourge of methamphetamine is on the public record
for all to see. We came to government with
our meth action plan. It includes a meth border force in the WA Police Force, the first alcohol and other drug rehabilitation services in our prisons, and
the meth task force, which is currently working on a comprehensive plan about
how we as a society can get on top of meth issues. The so-called funding cuts
that the member referred to was a two-year allocation by the previous
government associated with, at that point in time, a small publicity campaign
that it was doing about the Meth Helpline. That funding finished at the end of
the two years so it is not a cut at all. It is simply a one-off program —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr R.H. COOK : The drastic
cuts that the —
Mrs A.K. Hayden interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Darling Range, I have already given you a warning.
Mr R.H. COOK : The so-called
drastic cuts that the opposition would like to say is leading to this level of
missed calls are exactly as they were under its government. There was a slight
spike in July this year but since then the call abandonment rate has been —
Mrs L.M. Harvey interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Scarborough!
Mr R.H. COOK : In July,
member. But since then we are getting the same outcomes in calls answered as
was demonstrated under the previous government. I am not quite sure what their
problem is. There is either adequate under their term —
Mr A. Krsticevic interjected.
The SPEAKER : You shouting out
is not helping people. Members, I want to hear the answer; it is a very
important question.
Mr P.A. Katsambanis : Mr
Speaker, nice tie!
The SPEAKER : Thank you. I will
not call you to order for that!
Mr R.H. COOK : We are doing
more in government than the previous government did in its entire eight —
Mr A. Krsticevic interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Carine, I call you to order
for the first time.
Mr A. Krsticevic : Thank you,
Mr Speaker.
The SPEAKER : I call you to
order for the second time.
Mr R.H. COOK : We have a multitude
of lines around help for families and parents with people with drug problems.
We have the dedicated alcohol and other drugs service line. We have a plethora
of support services out there, and in addition to that —
Mr A. Krsticevic interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Carine, I call you to order for the third time.
Mr R.H. COOK : — we
are implementing a 30-bed expansion of alcohol and other drug rehabilitation
beds in the south west. This is the record of a government that takes
methamphetamine seriously. Soon we will have a report from the methamphetamine
task force, which will provide a further comprehensive plan for how we can
continue to resource methamphetamine, alcohol and other drug services in Western
Australia to fight the scourge that methamphetamine represents. The fact that
the opposition has highlighted this small issue in a finite-funded program that
it put in place, which must be the sum total of its pride in government, is
really a sad reflection of it in government. The number of missed calls is the
same long-run average. The mob opposite has nothing to worry about because we
are in government and we are resolving issues that involve methamphetamine.
commitment to fighting the scourge of methamphetamine is on the public record
for all to see. We came to government with
our meth action plan. It includes a meth border force in the WA Police Force, the first alcohol and other drug rehabilitation services in our prisons, and
the meth task force, which is currently working on a comprehensive plan about
how we as a society can get on top of meth issues. The so-called funding cuts
that the member referred to was a two-year allocation by the previous
government associated with, at that point in time, a small publicity campaign
that it was doing about the Meth Helpline. That funding finished at the end of
the two years so it is not a cut at all. It is simply a one-off program —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr R.H. COOK : The drastic
cuts that the —
Mrs A.K. Hayden interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Darling Range, I have already given you a warning.
Mr R.H. COOK : The so-called
drastic cuts that the opposition would like to say is leading to this level of
missed calls are exactly as they were under its government. There was a slight
spike in July this year but since then the call abandonment rate has been —
Mrs L.M. Harvey interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Scarborough!
Mr R.H. COOK : In July,
member. But since then we are getting the same outcomes in calls answered as
was demonstrated under the previous government. I am not quite sure what their
problem is. There is either adequate under their term —
Mr A. Krsticevic interjected.
The SPEAKER : You shouting out
is not helping people. Members, I want to hear the answer; it is a very
important question.
Mr P.A. Katsambanis : Mr
Speaker, nice tie!
The SPEAKER : Thank you. I will
not call you to order for that!
Mr R.H. COOK : We are doing
more in government than the previous government did in its entire eight —
Mr A. Krsticevic interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Carine, I call you to order
for the first time.
Mr A. Krsticevic : Thank you,
Mr Speaker.
The SPEAKER : I call you to
order for the second time.
Mr R.H. COOK : We have a multitude
of lines around help for families and parents with people with drug problems.
We have the dedicated alcohol and other drugs service line. We have a plethora
of support services out there, and in addition to that —
Mr A. Krsticevic interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Carine, I call you to order for the third time.
Mr R.H. COOK : — we
are implementing a 30-bed expansion of alcohol and other drug rehabilitation
beds in the south west. This is the record of a government that takes
methamphetamine seriously. Soon we will have a report from the methamphetamine
task force, which will provide a further comprehensive plan for how we can
continue to resource methamphetamine, alcohol and other drug services in Western
Australia to fight the scourge that methamphetamine represents. The fact that
the opposition has highlighted this small issue in a finite-funded program that
it put in place, which must be the sum total of its pride in government, is
really a sad reflection of it in government. The number of missed calls is the
same long-run average. The mob opposite has nothing to worry about because we
are in government and we are resolving issues that involve methamphetamine.
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