❓ Ms. Rowe questions the Minister for Mental Health on how the $42.5 million funding boost for the Methamphetamine Action Plan will support those in crisis. The Minister outlines various initiatives funded by the plan, including crisis support centres, regional services, and school education programs.
AnsweredQoN 326Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
METHAMPHETAMINE ACTION
PLAN — FUNDING
326. Ms C.M. ROWE to the Minister for Mental Health:
I refer to the McGowan government's
unprecedented investment in tackling the use of methamphetamine in Western Australia
and preventing the harm that this insidious drug inflicts on our community. Can
the minister outline to the house how the $42.5 million funding boost for this
government's Methamphetamine Action Plan will support those in crisis
and ensure that they get the help they need?
PLAN — FUNDING
326. Ms C.M. ROWE to the Minister for Mental Health:
I refer to the McGowan government's
unprecedented investment in tackling the use of methamphetamine in Western Australia
and preventing the harm that this insidious drug inflicts on our community. Can
the minister outline to the house how the $42.5 million funding boost for this
government's Methamphetamine Action Plan will support those in crisis
and ensure that they get the help they need?
AnswerView source ↗
I would like to thank the member for
the question; it is a really important one. We know that methamphetamine is an
insidious drug that has taken hold of the lives of a lot of people and their
families. From that point of view, yesterday it was an honour to stand with the
member for Swan Hills, Minister Michelle Roberts and James Martin, the
excellent candidate for Hasluck. It is good to see that Mr Martin also shares
our concerns about the impact of methamphetamine on our community. As the
member said, yesterday's funding was for a $42.5 million package as
part of our full response to the Methamphetamine Action Plan Taskforce report,
which set us a series of challenges that I believe we have met and met
significantly. This brings the McGowan Labor government's total
investment around methamphetamine to over $240 million, including actions such
the meth border force initiative, which is overseen by Minister Roberts. I am
very proud to say that since coming to government, Minister Roberts has been
responsible for the seizure of over 1.6 tonnes of methamphetamine. A
significant body of work has been done by the Western Australia Police Force to
make sure that we get on top of drug enforcement and put downward pressure on
supply. We also have to make sure that we are doing everything we can to
support families and individuals in crisis—those who are caught in the
dreadful bind of methamphetamine addiction, and provide that support when it is
needed. That is why yesterday we dedicated almost $5 million to the development
of a 10-bed crisis support or intervention centre in Midland. This is an
important opportunity to make sure that those people who are at a point of
crisis in their meth journey, either through repeated presentations at
emergency departments or being picked up by our awardwinning mental health and
drug co-response teams within the department of police and the Mental Health
Commission can be brought to a centre at which they can receive short-term
crisis intervention until they are in a more stable situation and on the road
to recovery. I am very pleased to say that yesterday's contribution
also resulted in a significant investment in meth initiatives in rural and
regional communities; in fact, a significant proportion of yesterday's
$42 million response goes to the regions, and that includes an expansion of
alcohol and other drug services in the Kimberley and the development of a comprehensive
youth alcohol and drug service, low medical withdrawal beds and the
continuation of the North West Drug and Alcohol Support program. It also
contributes towards culturally and linguistically diverse research into drug
use, a review of the alcohol and other drug withdrawal management policy and an
expansion of the transition housing and support program. It also includes $1.1
million towards the continuation of the School Drug Education and Road Aware
program. This is part of the third leg of the methamphetamine school, which is
about making sure that we reduce demand. It is about the education of our kids
about the dangers of illicit drugs and the importance that they understand the
impact that methamphetamine has on the community. I am proud of the work the
McGowan government has done to make sure that we put our methamphetamine action
plan in place. We will continue to look at ways that we can impact on this
stuff, and that includes further exploration and planning of compulsory
intervention services, towards which the Midland centre will make a good
contribution.
the question; it is a really important one. We know that methamphetamine is an
insidious drug that has taken hold of the lives of a lot of people and their
families. From that point of view, yesterday it was an honour to stand with the
member for Swan Hills, Minister Michelle Roberts and James Martin, the
excellent candidate for Hasluck. It is good to see that Mr Martin also shares
our concerns about the impact of methamphetamine on our community. As the
member said, yesterday's funding was for a $42.5 million package as
part of our full response to the Methamphetamine Action Plan Taskforce report,
which set us a series of challenges that I believe we have met and met
significantly. This brings the McGowan Labor government's total
investment around methamphetamine to over $240 million, including actions such
the meth border force initiative, which is overseen by Minister Roberts. I am
very proud to say that since coming to government, Minister Roberts has been
responsible for the seizure of over 1.6 tonnes of methamphetamine. A
significant body of work has been done by the Western Australia Police Force to
make sure that we get on top of drug enforcement and put downward pressure on
supply. We also have to make sure that we are doing everything we can to
support families and individuals in crisis—those who are caught in the
dreadful bind of methamphetamine addiction, and provide that support when it is
needed. That is why yesterday we dedicated almost $5 million to the development
of a 10-bed crisis support or intervention centre in Midland. This is an
important opportunity to make sure that those people who are at a point of
crisis in their meth journey, either through repeated presentations at
emergency departments or being picked up by our awardwinning mental health and
drug co-response teams within the department of police and the Mental Health
Commission can be brought to a centre at which they can receive short-term
crisis intervention until they are in a more stable situation and on the road
to recovery. I am very pleased to say that yesterday's contribution
also resulted in a significant investment in meth initiatives in rural and
regional communities; in fact, a significant proportion of yesterday's
$42 million response goes to the regions, and that includes an expansion of
alcohol and other drug services in the Kimberley and the development of a comprehensive
youth alcohol and drug service, low medical withdrawal beds and the
continuation of the North West Drug and Alcohol Support program. It also
contributes towards culturally and linguistically diverse research into drug
use, a review of the alcohol and other drug withdrawal management policy and an
expansion of the transition housing and support program. It also includes $1.1
million towards the continuation of the School Drug Education and Road Aware
program. This is part of the third leg of the methamphetamine school, which is
about making sure that we reduce demand. It is about the education of our kids
about the dangers of illicit drugs and the importance that they understand the
impact that methamphetamine has on the community. I am proud of the work the
McGowan government has done to make sure that we put our methamphetamine action
plan in place. We will continue to look at ways that we can impact on this
stuff, and that includes further exploration and planning of compulsory
intervention services, towards which the Midland centre will make a good
contribution.
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.