Mrs BRAHAM - 2005-10-11
It has been three months since tenders were advertised for residential rehabilitation programs for people with petrol sniffing problems in Alice Springs and Darwin. On the radio yesterday, you said it would take until next year to get them operational. Why will it take so long for these programs to be implemented? Why do you not take up the Coroner’s advice and get on with it immediately?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I welcome the question from the member for Braitling. I notice the CLP is silent because the $10m commitment the Labor government has put to treatment and rehabilitation programs for petrol sniffers was $10m the opposition said not to spend. They said it would be wasted money.
I am delighted to be a member of a government that has an absolute commitment to funding treatment and rehabilitation services for petrol sniffers. That commitment is already under way; it is already being fulfilled. We already have treatment facilities, as you know, in outstations in communities in Central Australia.
Specifically, the tenders the member for Braitling is inquiring about - and I certainly encourage the inquiries she has made - go to rehabilitation residential services in Alice Springs. There will also be residential services in Darwin. We have put out tenders to non-government organisations to run, quite appropriately, those rehabilitation residential services. There will be separate services for adults and juveniles, because we believe that is more appropriate, rather than having juveniles in an adult facility.
In regard to the nature of your question, certainly, the Coronial report handed down yesterday made reference to the previous Coronial inquiries in 1998, and recommended that the Commonwealth government establish and fund rehabilitation centres for chronic petrol sniffers in Alice Springs. That was never done; the Commonwealth did not do it.
Last year, this government announced $10m will be spent towards petrol sniffers treatment programs and services to support our volatile substance abuse legislation, the first legislation of its type anywhere in Australia. We are the lead jurisdiction in tackling petrol sniffing.
Members will remember the CLP announced the money should be immediately withdrawn, the programs and services should be cancelled, and kids caught sniffing should go straight to gaol. This position has been consistent with the position that they held in government for 27 years. We have generations of petrol sniffers.
The Northern Territory government money is now flowing into programs at places where it is needed, such as Kintore, Mt Theo, Ilpurla and Ipolera. The government believes that, to work most effectively, there should be separate facilities for juveniles and adults and we have tendered for those facilities in Darwin and Alice Springs. There are four tenders in all. These facilities will be the only ones of their kind in Australia. Some of these tenders are currently before the Procurement Review Board. I do not intend to pre-empt the findings of the Procurement Review Board, but I do not foresee too many problems. We are hopeful the tenders will be awarded very shortly.
The four clinics will become operational at different stages, but I expect them to begin to become operational early next year. It is important to point out that there is already a Northern Territory government-funded treatment centre for sniffers in Alice Springs run by DASA, the Drug and Alcohol Services Association. This is, in fact, a limited program which needs expanding and that is what we are doing.
The Martin government is leading the way in Australia in the fight against petrol sniffing. It will take money to fund and equip the rehabilitation services, which is why it will take time from when the Procurement Review Board signs off on the tenders to operational. We are moving as fast as possible. We have put the dollars into the system, we have put the tenders out and we are working with relevant non-government organisations in both Central Australia and the Top End to provide important treatment and rehabilitation services.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I welcome the question from the member for Braitling. I notice the CLP is silent because the $10m commitment the Labor government has put to treatment and rehabilitation programs for petrol sniffers was $10m the opposition said not to spend. They said it would be wasted money.
I am delighted to be a member of a government that has an absolute commitment to funding treatment and rehabilitation services for petrol sniffers. That commitment is already under way; it is already being fulfilled. We already have treatment facilities, as you know, in outstations in communities in Central Australia.
Specifically, the tenders the member for Braitling is inquiring about - and I certainly encourage the inquiries she has made - go to rehabilitation residential services in Alice Springs. There will also be residential services in Darwin. We have put out tenders to non-government organisations to run, quite appropriately, those rehabilitation residential services. There will be separate services for adults and juveniles, because we believe that is more appropriate, rather than having juveniles in an adult facility.
In regard to the nature of your question, certainly, the Coronial report handed down yesterday made reference to the previous Coronial inquiries in 1998, and recommended that the Commonwealth government establish and fund rehabilitation centres for chronic petrol sniffers in Alice Springs. That was never done; the Commonwealth did not do it.
Last year, this government announced $10m will be spent towards petrol sniffers treatment programs and services to support our volatile substance abuse legislation, the first legislation of its type anywhere in Australia. We are the lead jurisdiction in tackling petrol sniffing.
Members will remember the CLP announced the money should be immediately withdrawn, the programs and services should be cancelled, and kids caught sniffing should go straight to gaol. This position has been consistent with the position that they held in government for 27 years. We have generations of petrol sniffers.
The Northern Territory government money is now flowing into programs at places where it is needed, such as Kintore, Mt Theo, Ilpurla and Ipolera. The government believes that, to work most effectively, there should be separate facilities for juveniles and adults and we have tendered for those facilities in Darwin and Alice Springs. There are four tenders in all. These facilities will be the only ones of their kind in Australia. Some of these tenders are currently before the Procurement Review Board. I do not intend to pre-empt the findings of the Procurement Review Board, but I do not foresee too many problems. We are hopeful the tenders will be awarded very shortly.
The four clinics will become operational at different stages, but I expect them to begin to become operational early next year. It is important to point out that there is already a Northern Territory government-funded treatment centre for sniffers in Alice Springs run by DASA, the Drug and Alcohol Services Association. This is, in fact, a limited program which needs expanding and that is what we are doing.
The Martin government is leading the way in Australia in the fight against petrol sniffing. It will take money to fund and equip the rehabilitation services, which is why it will take time from when the Procurement Review Board signs off on the tenders to operational. We are moving as fast as possible. We have put the dollars into the system, we have put the tenders out and we are working with relevant non-government organisations in both Central Australia and the Top End to provide important treatment and rehabilitation services.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016