Mr STIRLING - 1994-08-23
The minister would be aware of the intolerable situation in Nhulunbuy where police were advised to drop, and have dropped, charges against alleged kava peddlers because they
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simply would not have been able to obtain a conviction under the existing legislation. What steps does the government have in mind to take to remedy this regrettable situation?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I do not have to inform honourable members of the complexity of the matters surrounding the control of kava. Indeed, these matters have been discussed on a number of occasions in this Assembly. The members for Nhulunbuy and Arnhem have contributed to debates in this regard over a number of years. The problem that we face is that the Aboriginal communities themselves are having great difficulty in determining how they will address these matters and what measures should be put in place to ensure that the controls are more effective than they have been in the past.
Work by the Department of Health and Community Services is continuing and negotiations are proceeding with the communities. The difficulty lies in obtaining agreement that will meet the needs of all communities and recognise their particular circumstances and requirements. As frustrating as that is, particularly in respect of the time that it is taking, we simply will have to work through that process. I share the frustration of the member for Nhulunbuy in relation to this matter. He would know only too well that there is great disparity of opinion from community to community as to what should be done. I am not convinced that, if the government were to implement new regulations or introduce new legislation, that would solve the problem. Until the people on the communities, who are using a drug that is not illegal, come to terms with the fact that they themselves have the ability to control it on their communities and come to us with a comprehensive range of guidelines to consider, we will continue to face this difficult problem. Notwithstanding that, officers of the department are trying to find a solution.
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simply would not have been able to obtain a conviction under the existing legislation. What steps does the government have in mind to take to remedy this regrettable situation?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I do not have to inform honourable members of the complexity of the matters surrounding the control of kava. Indeed, these matters have been discussed on a number of occasions in this Assembly. The members for Nhulunbuy and Arnhem have contributed to debates in this regard over a number of years. The problem that we face is that the Aboriginal communities themselves are having great difficulty in determining how they will address these matters and what measures should be put in place to ensure that the controls are more effective than they have been in the past.
Work by the Department of Health and Community Services is continuing and negotiations are proceeding with the communities. The difficulty lies in obtaining agreement that will meet the needs of all communities and recognise their particular circumstances and requirements. As frustrating as that is, particularly in respect of the time that it is taking, we simply will have to work through that process. I share the frustration of the member for Nhulunbuy in relation to this matter. He would know only too well that there is great disparity of opinion from community to community as to what should be done. I am not convinced that, if the government were to implement new regulations or introduce new legislation, that would solve the problem. Until the people on the communities, who are using a drug that is not illegal, come to terms with the fact that they themselves have the ability to control it on their communities and come to us with a comprehensive range of guidelines to consider, we will continue to face this difficult problem. Notwithstanding that, officers of the department are trying to find a solution.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016