❓ A WA parliamentary question scrutinizes the Department of Transport's on-water drug and alcohol testing program, focusing on testing procedures, costs, and outcomes. The Minister clarifies the non-random nature of testing and explains the high positive test rate and program costs.
AnsweredQoN 625Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to answers provided in Legislative Council Budget Estimates in relation to on water drug and alcohol tests conducted by Department of Transport Officers, and note the Minister's answer that there were 28 tests conducted in 2024-25 and one in 2025-26 at the time of the answer, and of those 29 tests, 11 resulted in positive results meaning 38 per cent of tests were above the legal limit, and I ask: (a) what is the policy or procedure for identifying a person to undergo a test; (b) has the Department ran any random testing; (c) if no to (b), are there any plans to look at this; (d) given the high 38 per cent result, does this indicate that tests conducted so far are triggered by suspicious activity or other behaviour that cause officers to determine a test is required; (e) noting that $362,787 was spent on the program in 2024-25, resulting in 28 tests conducted, equating to an approximate benchmark cost of $13,000 per test conducted, what work has been done to assess the appropriateness of the cost against outcomes for over the coming years; (f) in relation to (e), what is the result of those considerations or work; and (g) how many of the 11 test results above the legal limit resulted in: (i) fine; (ii) suspension or cancellation of licence; and (iii) a more serious consequence or charge than (i) or (ii) (please specify)?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
21 October 2025
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary representing the Minister for Transport
Response time
5 days
(a)-(g) As flagged in Parliament during debate on the enabling legislation, it is not policy to randomly test people for drugs and alcohol. Testing is generally taken post-incident, or when a marine inspector has reasonable cause to believe that someone may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
As such, it is reasonable to assume that the high rate of positive testing reflects the above policy of reasonable suspicion or cause.
The $362,787 includes initial implementation costs such as the purchase of specialised equipment and is not reflective of the ongoing costs of the testing regime.
As such, it is reasonable to assume that the high rate of positive testing reflects the above policy of reasonable suspicion or cause.
The $362,787 includes initial implementation costs such as the purchase of specialised equipment and is not reflective of the ongoing costs of the testing regime.
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