❓ Mr. Love questions the government's response to rising methamphetamine use in WA. The Premier defends the government's record, citing decreased usage and attributing success to border controls and law enforcement.
AnsweredQoN 123Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
METHAMPHETAMINE —
USE
123. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Premier:
Under
the Premier's watch, Western Australians have now been dubbed the
biggest methamphetamine users in the nation. Given the surge in meth
consumption, with particular concern about a 40 per cent increase in regional
WA alone, how does the government justify
its efforts to combat this escalating crisis, especially considering the
alarming statistics outlined in the recent Australian Criminal
Intelligence Commission report?
USE
123. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Premier:
Under
the Premier's watch, Western Australians have now been dubbed the
biggest methamphetamine users in the nation. Given the surge in meth
consumption, with particular concern about a 40 per cent increase in regional
WA alone, how does the government justify
its efforts to combat this escalating crisis, especially considering the
alarming statistics outlined in the recent Australian Criminal
Intelligence Commission report?
AnswerView source ↗
The level of meth use in Western Australia
has been lower every single year under the Labor government when compared with
the peak under the Liberals and Nationals in 2016. That is the fact of the
matter. Under our government, every year meth usage has been lower than when
you were in office. It is less than when the Liberals and Nationals were in government. Estimated consumption in 2016–17
was 1 547 kilograms. Estimated consumption in 2022–23 was 1 322
kilograms. That is the fact of the matter. That is a 15 per cent decrease in
the raw numbers. When we factor into that equation a 12 per cent increase in
population in that time, it shows a 24 per cent decrease in per capita usage.
Some of the other facts that surround this debate are also illuminating. Over
this period, we have also seen a significant drop in drug offences. In 2016,
there were 35 932; in 2023, there were just 24 148. That is a 33 per cent drop—a massive reduction. We have seen WA's
usage as a share of Australia's usage also fall . In 2016, WA
accounted for 18.5 per cent of Australia's meth usage; in 2023, WA
accounted for just 12 per cent. I think the facts speak for themselves.
We have these important statistics
and facts to examine today for two reasons. One is our hard borders during the
COVID-19 pandemic. During that period, we saw a dramatic reduction in the level
of meth usage and number of meth convictions
in Western Australia. I reflect on that period. At that time, two political
parties in Western Australia were calling for that border to be torn
down. That was you.
Mr R.S. Love : No.
Mr R.H. COOK : You cannot disown your past! Had we
listened to you, not only would Western Australia have been devastated by
thousands of deaths as a result of COVID-19, but we also would have seen a continuation
of the flow of drugs across Western Australia's borders.
Visitors — Santa Maria
College
The SPEAKER : Premier, if I can
just interrupt you for one moment, before they leave, I want to acknowledge the
students from, I think, Sacred Heart College in Sorrento on behalf of the
member for Carine.
Government members : Santa
Maria College.
The SPEAKER : Thank you.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr
R.H. COOK : In addition, we have
seen incredible drug suppression operations being carried out by the WA Police
Force. Our hard borders severed the bikie–controlled drug supply chains
during the pandemic and we saw meth consumption plummet. Subsequently,
the state government introduced the toughest anti-bikie laws in the country and
gave the police the power to conduct regular drug searches at 22 defined entry
points in Western Australia. We see two things happening here—one is
the impact of COVID-19 and our actions at that time, and the other is the laws
that we brought in and the police operations that have been enabled by those
changes to the law. That is why we have seen a dramatic reduction in meth usage
under our watch compared with yours.
has been lower every single year under the Labor government when compared with
the peak under the Liberals and Nationals in 2016. That is the fact of the
matter. Under our government, every year meth usage has been lower than when
you were in office. It is less than when the Liberals and Nationals were in government. Estimated consumption in 2016–17
was 1 547 kilograms. Estimated consumption in 2022–23 was 1 322
kilograms. That is the fact of the matter. That is a 15 per cent decrease in
the raw numbers. When we factor into that equation a 12 per cent increase in
population in that time, it shows a 24 per cent decrease in per capita usage.
Some of the other facts that surround this debate are also illuminating. Over
this period, we have also seen a significant drop in drug offences. In 2016,
there were 35 932; in 2023, there were just 24 148. That is a 33 per cent drop—a massive reduction. We have seen WA's
usage as a share of Australia's usage also fall . In 2016, WA
accounted for 18.5 per cent of Australia's meth usage; in 2023, WA
accounted for just 12 per cent. I think the facts speak for themselves.
We have these important statistics
and facts to examine today for two reasons. One is our hard borders during the
COVID-19 pandemic. During that period, we saw a dramatic reduction in the level
of meth usage and number of meth convictions
in Western Australia. I reflect on that period. At that time, two political
parties in Western Australia were calling for that border to be torn
down. That was you.
Mr R.S. Love : No.
Mr R.H. COOK : You cannot disown your past! Had we
listened to you, not only would Western Australia have been devastated by
thousands of deaths as a result of COVID-19, but we also would have seen a continuation
of the flow of drugs across Western Australia's borders.
Visitors — Santa Maria
College
The SPEAKER : Premier, if I can
just interrupt you for one moment, before they leave, I want to acknowledge the
students from, I think, Sacred Heart College in Sorrento on behalf of the
member for Carine.
Government members : Santa
Maria College.
The SPEAKER : Thank you.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr
R.H. COOK : In addition, we have
seen incredible drug suppression operations being carried out by the WA Police
Force. Our hard borders severed the bikie–controlled drug supply chains
during the pandemic and we saw meth consumption plummet. Subsequently,
the state government introduced the toughest anti-bikie laws in the country and
gave the police the power to conduct regular drug searches at 22 defined entry
points in Western Australia. We see two things happening here—one is
the impact of COVID-19 and our actions at that time, and the other is the laws
that we brought in and the police operations that have been enabled by those
changes to the law. That is why we have seen a dramatic reduction in meth usage
under our watch compared with yours.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.