Mr McADAM - 2004-08-25
Would the minister advise the House of progress in curbing paint sniffing or inhaling in Alice Springs?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Barkly for a very important question. Earlier this year, I personally witnessed chroming, or paint sniffing, going on around my office in Alice Springs …
Mr Dunham: Stunt! A media stunt! Somebody went into your office and pointed it out to your staff.
Dr TOYNE: … and, in fact, near your office as well. I took the initiative of approaching Mad Harry’s retailers, Craig and Robyn Lambley, to see if they would agree to not order in any new paint supplies if we could get rid of the existing stock they had. That arrangement was arrived at, and I pay tribute to Craig and Robyn …
Mr Dunham: It was pointed out to your staff the year before.
Dr TOYNE: … for their public-minded action in agreeing to that. That meant that we had 814 cans of spray paint in mixed colours. What do you do with it?
I can now report to the House that, as we speak, there is a design and painting project proceeding at Yuendumu, with many kids there who have been taken out of petrol sniffing. I have seen the designs during a visit I made to Yuendumu some two weeks ago. Those young people are really thinking through some of the features that they want to put into these designs. Those designs are going to be executed on three very large multi-ply panels. Two of the panels will then be put up in the Alice Springs Hospital, and I believe the other one will be displayed at Yuendumu.
What we have achieved here is that chroming in Alice Springs has dropped significantly, particularly as, at the time that we removed these supplies from the most frequently used outlet, the Tangentyere Council and the Central Australian Youth Link Up Service hired Anne Mosey for a project to go around to the retailers to make sure that their serving practices were tightening up on the supply of paint to people who were clearly trying to use it for inhalant abuse.
We have got rid of most of the chroming out of Alice Springs. We have a terrific art project out of it and we will be able to enjoy those paintings into the future. Madam Speaker, I do not think the member for Drysdale understands sincerity.
Madam SPEAKER: As we are talking about painting, I would like to mention to members that, after that little story I told you last night about painting a phone box, we have had a number of inquiries, particularly from schools which may not be able to enter the competition. Chippy Miller has informed me that any school that still wants to be involved with ‘Adopt a Phone Box’ should contact him. His contact details are available in my office. I thought I would add that because it was a really nice little story.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Barkly for a very important question. Earlier this year, I personally witnessed chroming, or paint sniffing, going on around my office in Alice Springs …
Mr Dunham: Stunt! A media stunt! Somebody went into your office and pointed it out to your staff.
Dr TOYNE: … and, in fact, near your office as well. I took the initiative of approaching Mad Harry’s retailers, Craig and Robyn Lambley, to see if they would agree to not order in any new paint supplies if we could get rid of the existing stock they had. That arrangement was arrived at, and I pay tribute to Craig and Robyn …
Mr Dunham: It was pointed out to your staff the year before.
Dr TOYNE: … for their public-minded action in agreeing to that. That meant that we had 814 cans of spray paint in mixed colours. What do you do with it?
I can now report to the House that, as we speak, there is a design and painting project proceeding at Yuendumu, with many kids there who have been taken out of petrol sniffing. I have seen the designs during a visit I made to Yuendumu some two weeks ago. Those young people are really thinking through some of the features that they want to put into these designs. Those designs are going to be executed on three very large multi-ply panels. Two of the panels will then be put up in the Alice Springs Hospital, and I believe the other one will be displayed at Yuendumu.
What we have achieved here is that chroming in Alice Springs has dropped significantly, particularly as, at the time that we removed these supplies from the most frequently used outlet, the Tangentyere Council and the Central Australian Youth Link Up Service hired Anne Mosey for a project to go around to the retailers to make sure that their serving practices were tightening up on the supply of paint to people who were clearly trying to use it for inhalant abuse.
We have got rid of most of the chroming out of Alice Springs. We have a terrific art project out of it and we will be able to enjoy those paintings into the future. Madam Speaker, I do not think the member for Drysdale understands sincerity.
Madam SPEAKER: As we are talking about painting, I would like to mention to members that, after that little story I told you last night about painting a phone box, we have had a number of inquiries, particularly from schools which may not be able to enter the competition. Chippy Miller has informed me that any school that still wants to be involved with ‘Adopt a Phone Box’ should contact him. His contact details are available in my office. I thought I would add that because it was a really nice little story.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016