❓ A WA parliamentary question addresses the link between drug use, particularly cannabis decriminalisation, and the increasing number of children in care. The Minister refutes the premise, highlighting the complexity of the issue and focusing on the impact of hard drugs.
AnsweredQoN 585Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CHILDREN IN CARE
I refer the minister to her statement during question time yesterday when she said that children are increasingly going into care as a result of drug-related problems. (1) Given the minister has acknowledged the terrible impact that drugs have in our society, does she agree that making drugs more easily available will only exacerbate the problems of child abuse and family breakdown? (2) Will the minister oppose plans to decriminalise the possession of cannabis? Ms McHALE
I refer the minister to her statement during question time yesterday when she said that children are increasingly going into care as a result of drug-related problems. (1) Given the minister has acknowledged the terrible impact that drugs have in our society, does she agree that making drugs more easily available will only exacerbate the problems of child abuse and family breakdown? (2) Will the minister oppose plans to decriminalise the possession of cannabis? Ms McHALE
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(2) I thank the member for her question, but unfortunately it reflects a lack of detailed knowledge about some of the reasons behind children going into care. I said yesterday that an increasing number of children are in care; that they are staying in care longer than typically in the past; and that the reasons for children going into care are very complex and several. As the member has pointed out, I said that one of the reasons is drug related. If the member cared to delve a little further, she would find that the issue of drugs and children in care is much more about hard drugs, such as heroin. Mr Barnett: It starts with cannabis. Ms McHALE: No, it is about heroin, amphetamines and a range of drugs. It is important for the member to realise that when the Government was putting together its response to the Community Drug Summit, it considered a range of social responses. My department gave very detailed responses on how a good Government should respond to the Community Drug Summit recommendations. The strategies that we have put in place to deal with children in care are very competent and well considered. Although they link into the Government’s response to the Community Drug Summit, a range of other strategies is required. The member is trying to take a cheap shot at what is a very considered approach to the drug problem in our community.
(1) Given the minister has acknowledged the terrible impact that drugs have in our society, does she agree that making drugs more easily available will only exacerbate the problems of child abuse and family breakdown? (2) Will the minister oppose plans to decriminalise the possession of cannabis? Ms McHALE replied: (1)-(2) I thank the member for her question, but unfortunately it reflects a lack of detailed knowledge about some of the reasons behind children going into care. I said yesterday that an increasing number of children are in care; that they are staying in care longer than typically in the past; and that the reasons for children going into care are very complex and several. As the member has pointed out, I said that one of the reasons is drug related. If the member cared to delve a little further, she would find that the issue of drugs and children in care is much more about hard drugs, such as heroin. Mr Barnett: It starts with cannabis. Ms McHALE: No, it is about heroin, amphetamines and a range of drugs. It is important for the member to realise that when the Government was putting together its response to the Community Drug Summit, it considered a range of social responses. My department gave very detailed responses on how a good Government should respond to the Community Drug Summit recommendations. The strategies that we have put in place to deal with children in care are very competent and well considered. Although they link into the Government’s response to the Community Drug Summit, a range of other strategies is required. The member is trying to take a cheap shot at what is a very considered approach to the drug problem in our community.
(2) Will the minister oppose plans to decriminalise the possession of cannabis? Ms McHALE replied: (1)-(2) I thank the member for her question, but unfortunately it reflects a lack of detailed knowledge about some of the reasons behind children going into care. I said yesterday that an increasing number of children are in care; that they are staying in care longer than typically in the past; and that the reasons for children going into care are very complex and several. As the member has pointed out, I said that one of the reasons is drug related. If the member cared to delve a little further, she would find that the issue of drugs and children in care is much more about hard drugs, such as heroin. Mr Barnett: It starts with cannabis. Ms McHALE: No, it is about heroin, amphetamines and a range of drugs. It is important for the member to realise that when the Government was putting together its response to the Community Drug Summit, it considered a range of social responses. My department gave very detailed responses on how a good Government should respond to the Community Drug Summit recommendations. The strategies that we have put in place to deal with children in care are very competent and well considered. Although they link into the Government’s response to the Community Drug Summit, a range of other strategies is required. The member is trying to take a cheap shot at what is a very considered approach to the drug problem in our community.
Ms McHALE replied: (1)-(2) I thank the member for her question, but unfortunately it reflects a lack of detailed knowledge about some of the reasons behind children going into care. I said yesterday that an increasing number of children are in care; that they are staying in care longer than typically in the past; and that the reasons for children going into care are very complex and several. As the member has pointed out, I said that one of the reasons is drug related. If the member cared to delve a little further, she would find that the issue of drugs and children in care is much more about hard drugs, such as heroin. Mr Barnett: It starts with cannabis. Ms McHALE: No, it is about heroin, amphetamines and a range of drugs. It is important for the member to realise that when the Government was putting together its response to the Community Drug Summit, it considered a range of social responses. My department gave very detailed responses on how a good Government should respond to the Community Drug Summit recommendations. The strategies that we have put in place to deal with children in care are very competent and well considered. Although they link into the Government’s response to the Community Drug Summit, a range of other strategies is required. The member is trying to take a cheap shot at what is a very considered approach to the drug problem in our community.
(1)-(2) I thank the member for her question, but unfortunately it reflects a lack of detailed knowledge about some of the reasons behind children going into care. I said yesterday that an increasing number of children are in care; that they are staying in care longer than typically in the past; and that the reasons for children going into care are very complex and several. As the member has pointed out, I said that one of the reasons is drug related. If the member cared to delve a little further, she would find that the issue of drugs and children in care is much more about hard drugs, such as heroin. Mr Barnett: It starts with cannabis. Ms McHALE: No, it is about heroin, amphetamines and a range of drugs. It is important for the member to realise that when the Government was putting together its response to the Community Drug Summit, it considered a range of social responses. My department gave very detailed responses on how a good Government should respond to the Community Drug Summit recommendations. The strategies that we have put in place to deal with children in care are very competent and well considered. Although they link into the Government’s response to the Community Drug Summit, a range of other strategies is required. The member is trying to take a cheap shot at what is a very considered approach to the drug problem in our community.
Mr Barnett: It starts with cannabis. Ms McHALE: No, it is about heroin, amphetamines and a range of drugs. It is important for the member to realise that when the Government was putting together its response to the Community Drug Summit, it considered a range of social responses. My department gave very detailed responses on how a good Government should respond to the Community Drug Summit recommendations. The strategies that we have put in place to deal with children in care are very competent and well considered. Although they link into the Government’s response to the Community Drug Summit, a range of other strategies is required. The member is trying to take a cheap shot at what is a very considered approach to the drug problem in our community.
Ms McHALE: No, it is about heroin, amphetamines and a range of drugs. It is important for the member to realise that when the Government was putting together its response to the Community Drug Summit, it considered a range of social responses. My department gave very detailed responses on how a good Government should respond to the Community Drug Summit recommendations. The strategies that we have put in place to deal with children in care are very competent and well considered. Although they link into the Government’s response to the Community Drug Summit, a range of other strategies is required. The member is trying to take a cheap shot at what is a very considered approach to the drug problem in our community.
(1) Given the minister has acknowledged the terrible impact that drugs have in our society, does she agree that making drugs more easily available will only exacerbate the problems of child abuse and family breakdown? (2) Will the minister oppose plans to decriminalise the possession of cannabis? Ms McHALE replied: (1)-(2) I thank the member for her question, but unfortunately it reflects a lack of detailed knowledge about some of the reasons behind children going into care. I said yesterday that an increasing number of children are in care; that they are staying in care longer than typically in the past; and that the reasons for children going into care are very complex and several. As the member has pointed out, I said that one of the reasons is drug related. If the member cared to delve a little further, she would find that the issue of drugs and children in care is much more about hard drugs, such as heroin. Mr Barnett: It starts with cannabis. Ms McHALE: No, it is about heroin, amphetamines and a range of drugs. It is important for the member to realise that when the Government was putting together its response to the Community Drug Summit, it considered a range of social responses. My department gave very detailed responses on how a good Government should respond to the Community Drug Summit recommendations. The strategies that we have put in place to deal with children in care are very competent and well considered. Although they link into the Government’s response to the Community Drug Summit, a range of other strategies is required. The member is trying to take a cheap shot at what is a very considered approach to the drug problem in our community.
(2) Will the minister oppose plans to decriminalise the possession of cannabis? Ms McHALE replied: (1)-(2) I thank the member for her question, but unfortunately it reflects a lack of detailed knowledge about some of the reasons behind children going into care. I said yesterday that an increasing number of children are in care; that they are staying in care longer than typically in the past; and that the reasons for children going into care are very complex and several. As the member has pointed out, I said that one of the reasons is drug related. If the member cared to delve a little further, she would find that the issue of drugs and children in care is much more about hard drugs, such as heroin. Mr Barnett: It starts with cannabis. Ms McHALE: No, it is about heroin, amphetamines and a range of drugs. It is important for the member to realise that when the Government was putting together its response to the Community Drug Summit, it considered a range of social responses. My department gave very detailed responses on how a good Government should respond to the Community Drug Summit recommendations. The strategies that we have put in place to deal with children in care are very competent and well considered. Although they link into the Government’s response to the Community Drug Summit, a range of other strategies is required. The member is trying to take a cheap shot at what is a very considered approach to the drug problem in our community.
Ms McHALE replied: (1)-(2) I thank the member for her question, but unfortunately it reflects a lack of detailed knowledge about some of the reasons behind children going into care. I said yesterday that an increasing number of children are in care; that they are staying in care longer than typically in the past; and that the reasons for children going into care are very complex and several. As the member has pointed out, I said that one of the reasons is drug related. If the member cared to delve a little further, she would find that the issue of drugs and children in care is much more about hard drugs, such as heroin. Mr Barnett: It starts with cannabis. Ms McHALE: No, it is about heroin, amphetamines and a range of drugs. It is important for the member to realise that when the Government was putting together its response to the Community Drug Summit, it considered a range of social responses. My department gave very detailed responses on how a good Government should respond to the Community Drug Summit recommendations. The strategies that we have put in place to deal with children in care are very competent and well considered. Although they link into the Government’s response to the Community Drug Summit, a range of other strategies is required. The member is trying to take a cheap shot at what is a very considered approach to the drug problem in our community.
(1)-(2) I thank the member for her question, but unfortunately it reflects a lack of detailed knowledge about some of the reasons behind children going into care. I said yesterday that an increasing number of children are in care; that they are staying in care longer than typically in the past; and that the reasons for children going into care are very complex and several. As the member has pointed out, I said that one of the reasons is drug related. If the member cared to delve a little further, she would find that the issue of drugs and children in care is much more about hard drugs, such as heroin. Mr Barnett: It starts with cannabis. Ms McHALE: No, it is about heroin, amphetamines and a range of drugs. It is important for the member to realise that when the Government was putting together its response to the Community Drug Summit, it considered a range of social responses. My department gave very detailed responses on how a good Government should respond to the Community Drug Summit recommendations. The strategies that we have put in place to deal with children in care are very competent and well considered. Although they link into the Government’s response to the Community Drug Summit, a range of other strategies is required. The member is trying to take a cheap shot at what is a very considered approach to the drug problem in our community.
Mr Barnett: It starts with cannabis. Ms McHALE: No, it is about heroin, amphetamines and a range of drugs. It is important for the member to realise that when the Government was putting together its response to the Community Drug Summit, it considered a range of social responses. My department gave very detailed responses on how a good Government should respond to the Community Drug Summit recommendations. The strategies that we have put in place to deal with children in care are very competent and well considered. Although they link into the Government’s response to the Community Drug Summit, a range of other strategies is required. The member is trying to take a cheap shot at what is a very considered approach to the drug problem in our community.
Ms McHALE: No, it is about heroin, amphetamines and a range of drugs. It is important for the member to realise that when the Government was putting together its response to the Community Drug Summit, it considered a range of social responses. My department gave very detailed responses on how a good Government should respond to the Community Drug Summit recommendations. The strategies that we have put in place to deal with children in care are very competent and well considered. Although they link into the Government’s response to the Community Drug Summit, a range of other strategies is required. The member is trying to take a cheap shot at what is a very considered approach to the drug problem in our community.
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