❓ A WA parliamentary question addresses petrol sniffing and substance abuse in the Western Desert, seeking government action including Opal fuel implementation and a detoxification facility. The government response outlines existing strategies, collaboration with the federal government, and development of regional facilities.
AnsweredQoN 4621Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(1) In reference to the growing incidence of petrol sniffing and substance abuse in the Western Desert and adjacent communities, and in view of the overlapping portfolios, departments and agencies with responsibilities in this matter, I ask:
(a) will the Premier undertake to lead and coordinate an urgent response from the Western Australian Government into this growing crisis;
(b) is the Premier prepared to push for the mandatory use of Opal fuels in the Western Desert and adjacent areas, as is currently in place in similar circumstances just across the border in the Northern Territory;
(i) if not, why not; and
(c) will the State Government support the establishment of a special detoxification facility at the Billanooka Community, south east of Jigalong, as a dedicated facility for petrol sniffers to be modelled on the successful Mt Theo Program in the Northern Territory; and
(d) will the Premier outline a comprehensive set of responses that the Government will take to combat the growing incidence of petrol sniffing and substance abuse in regional and remote areas of Western Australia?
(a) will the Premier undertake to lead and coordinate an urgent response from the Western Australian Government into this growing crisis;
(b) is the Premier prepared to push for the mandatory use of Opal fuels in the Western Desert and adjacent areas, as is currently in place in similar circumstances just across the border in the Northern Territory;
(i) if not, why not; and
(c) will the State Government support the establishment of a special detoxification facility at the Billanooka Community, south east of Jigalong, as a dedicated facility for petrol sniffers to be modelled on the successful Mt Theo Program in the Northern Territory; and
(d) will the Premier outline a comprehensive set of responses that the Government will take to combat the growing incidence of petrol sniffing and substance abuse in regional and remote areas of Western Australia?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
16 March 2011
Response time
29 days
(1 - 1a) A key stakeholder forum has been established to address the matter of inhaling volatile substances, including petrol sniffing, in the eastern Pilbara, including Western Desert communities.
(1 b - i) The roll out of Opal fuel is a program of the Australian Government. If there are communities in Western Australia that would like to participate in the program, the federal government will assess the feasibility of the provision of Opal fuel to that community.
(c) A residential alcohol and drug rehabilitation facility is being developed in Port Hedland that will service people from the Pilbara region and surrounds. Further complementary and culturally secure options are being investigated by the Drug and Alcohol Office, in collaboration with the Australian Government's Department of Health and Ageing and the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.
?
(d) The Australian Government, in collaboration with Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory is implementing a whole-of-government Petrol Sniffing Strategy in response to the devastating effects of petrol sniffing in some Indigenous communities. The Petrol Sniffing Strategy (PSS) aims to reduce the incidence and impact of petrol sniffing and other forms of substance abuse amongst Indigenous youth and communities in specific areas. These include that Ngaanyatjarra Lands and the East Kimberley region.
In the non-petrol sniffing zones, where petrol sniffing has been identified as a problem, the Drug and Alcohol Office is working with local stakeholders to put in place regional strategies modelled on the PSS. These regions include the Goldfields and more recently work has begun with stakeholders in the Eastern Pilbara, including the Western Desert communities.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
(1 b - i) The roll out of Opal fuel is a program of the Australian Government. If there are communities in Western Australia that would like to participate in the program, the federal government will assess the feasibility of the provision of Opal fuel to that community.
(c) A residential alcohol and drug rehabilitation facility is being developed in Port Hedland that will service people from the Pilbara region and surrounds. Further complementary and culturally secure options are being investigated by the Drug and Alcohol Office, in collaboration with the Australian Government's Department of Health and Ageing and the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.
?
(d) The Australian Government, in collaboration with Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory is implementing a whole-of-government Petrol Sniffing Strategy in response to the devastating effects of petrol sniffing in some Indigenous communities. The Petrol Sniffing Strategy (PSS) aims to reduce the incidence and impact of petrol sniffing and other forms of substance abuse amongst Indigenous youth and communities in specific areas. These include that Ngaanyatjarra Lands and the East Kimberley region.
In the non-petrol sniffing zones, where petrol sniffing has been identified as a problem, the Drug and Alcohol Office is working with local stakeholders to put in place regional strategies modelled on the PSS. These regions include the Goldfields and more recently work has begun with stakeholders in the Eastern Pilbara, including the Western Desert communities.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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.