❓ Mr. Hatton questions the Minister for Mental Health on the Liberal-National government's plans for involuntary rehabilitation to address methamphetamine use. The Minister outlines the government's focus, funding, and plans to develop a compulsory drug treatment service, aiming for legislation by year-end.
AnsweredQoN 500Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
MENTAL HEALTH — METHAMPHETAMINE USE —
INVOLUNTARY REHABILITATION
500. Mr C.D. HATTON to the Minister for Mental
Health:
The Minister for Mental Health has
been out and about in the community a lot lately spreading some really good
information. Could she please update the house on the Liberal–National
government's proposals to curb the scourge of methamphetamine in our
communities through involuntary rehabilitation?
INVOLUNTARY REHABILITATION
500. Mr C.D. HATTON to the Minister for Mental
Health:
The Minister for Mental Health has
been out and about in the community a lot lately spreading some really good
information. Could she please update the house on the Liberal–National
government's proposals to curb the scourge of methamphetamine in our
communities through involuntary rehabilitation?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Balcatta for the question, and I also
thank him for the invitation for the Minister for Police and me to join him in
his electorate last week at that forum. It was absolutely fabulous and we
appreciate the support and representation he makes for his community. As
members know, we have a very clear focus on the meth strategy, with the special
announcement of $14.9 million in the budget for this issue, in addition to the
quality work and investment that has already been done in this area. It has
certainly come to my attention, as I have been moving around the city and the
state, that there is a real issue concerning people who choose to not go into
rehab. We have heard from many families, parents and loved people, and we need
to ensure that we listen to those people
Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Midland!
Ms A.R. MITCHELL :
They are looking for a way to get their loved ones into treatment without them
necessarily going into the criminal justice system. The Minister for Corrective
Services often tells me that he has people pleading with him, ''Please,
take our son into the system so that we get them away from people who are
providing them with the influences around them.'' It has been very
revealing to me. I am very pleased that we have been able to bring forward in
the mental health plan—it has always been in the mental health plan—that
we have a compulsory drug treatment service.
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
Eight years of inaction.
Ms A.R. MITCHELL :
We have brought it forward.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Midland! I have given you a lot of leeway. I call you to order for
the second time.
Ms A.R. MITCHELL :
This government responds to the people, member, and I am very pleased that we
do that. We have brought that forward and we are acting on it. At the moment,
the Mental Health Commission is looking at the models of service around the
jurisdictions and how it may work in Western Australia. We are not going to
just copy some other jurisdiction; we will develop our own model.
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
It will take years.
Ms A.R. MITCHELL :
No, we are actually doing it very quickly, because we get things done, member.
Sorry about that! We get things done. No, I should not apologise to the member.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the second time.
Ms A.R. MITCHELL :
We are working on it, and we announced last week that we would also have a community
advisory group and there will be options for consultation. I can assure the
chamber that this is being taken very, very seriously and we will be in a position
to move forward models of service and legislation by the end of the year. I can
assure members opposite that that is being well received in the community. I am
just sorry that the shadow Minister for Corrective Services had no idea what he
was talking about. I wonder what the opposition will do when that bill comes
through.
thank him for the invitation for the Minister for Police and me to join him in
his electorate last week at that forum. It was absolutely fabulous and we
appreciate the support and representation he makes for his community. As
members know, we have a very clear focus on the meth strategy, with the special
announcement of $14.9 million in the budget for this issue, in addition to the
quality work and investment that has already been done in this area. It has
certainly come to my attention, as I have been moving around the city and the
state, that there is a real issue concerning people who choose to not go into
rehab. We have heard from many families, parents and loved people, and we need
to ensure that we listen to those people
Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Midland!
Ms A.R. MITCHELL :
They are looking for a way to get their loved ones into treatment without them
necessarily going into the criminal justice system. The Minister for Corrective
Services often tells me that he has people pleading with him, ''Please,
take our son into the system so that we get them away from people who are
providing them with the influences around them.'' It has been very
revealing to me. I am very pleased that we have been able to bring forward in
the mental health plan—it has always been in the mental health plan—that
we have a compulsory drug treatment service.
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
Eight years of inaction.
Ms A.R. MITCHELL :
We have brought it forward.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Midland! I have given you a lot of leeway. I call you to order for
the second time.
Ms A.R. MITCHELL :
This government responds to the people, member, and I am very pleased that we
do that. We have brought that forward and we are acting on it. At the moment,
the Mental Health Commission is looking at the models of service around the
jurisdictions and how it may work in Western Australia. We are not going to
just copy some other jurisdiction; we will develop our own model.
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
It will take years.
Ms A.R. MITCHELL :
No, we are actually doing it very quickly, because we get things done, member.
Sorry about that! We get things done. No, I should not apologise to the member.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the second time.
Ms A.R. MITCHELL :
We are working on it, and we announced last week that we would also have a community
advisory group and there will be options for consultation. I can assure the
chamber that this is being taken very, very seriously and we will be in a position
to move forward models of service and legislation by the end of the year. I can
assure members opposite that that is being well received in the community. I am
just sorry that the shadow Minister for Corrective Services had no idea what he
was talking about. I wonder what the opposition will do when that bill comes
through.
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.