Mr MILLS - 2010-05-05
There was a 21% increase in cases of people being taken into protective custody between 2008 and 2009. This is a serious community issue that requires real action to break the cycle of public drunkenness. Why has the Alcohol and Other Drugs Services component of the budget been reduced from the expected expenditure in 2009-10?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I am aware there has been an adjustment in the Alcohol and Other Drugs section in terms of reductions by a completion of Commonwealth dollars. I will stick with protocol in this Chamber - the Alcohol and Other Drugs does come under the Minister for Health so I will let him respond.
However, in terms of Alcohol and Other Drugs, and this is what the CLP opposition refuse to acknowledge, there have been significant increases in the number of rehabilitation and sobering-up shelter beds in the Territory under a Labor government. Today we have some 300 rehabilitation and sobering-up shelter beds in the Territory. That is largely …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Katherine! Member for Fong Lim!
Ms LAWRIE: If you understand the Alcohol and Other Drugs funding arrangements in terms of federal financial relations …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Fong Lim!
Ms LAWRIE: If you understand the federal financial relations in terms of Alcohol and Other Drugs funding, that is largely Commonwealth funding, but the Territory has also increased our spend as well.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr VATSKALIS (Health): Madam Speaker, I would like to advise the opposition there was no cut in the funding of Alcohol and Other Drugs. It was simply a reduction of $100 000 by the completion of an OATSIH-funded program. I am really disappointed by the Leader of the Opposition coming here so unprepared, claiming reductions in Alcohol and Other Drugs, in family services, that we did not increase the budget. There was no reduction in our budget. There is no …
Members interjecting.
Mr VATSKALIS: There is no reduction in our budget. To the contrary, for Child Protection Services there is extra funding of $700 000. If they studied the budget carefully, they would find there is no reduction in children’s services. In addition to that, they made an allegation that we have not increased the budget for Child Protection by 107% - we have. If you look very carefully, you will find that, in children’s services, not only …
Mr Tollner interjecting.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr VATSKALIS: There is no reduction, Madam Speaker. On the contrary, in Child Protection there has been an increase, a significant increase in funding from approximately $35m in 2004-05 to $74.7m in 2009-10, and that includes family and parent support services, Child Protection Services, and Out of Home Care services - anything to do with protection of children in the Territory.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I am aware there has been an adjustment in the Alcohol and Other Drugs section in terms of reductions by a completion of Commonwealth dollars. I will stick with protocol in this Chamber - the Alcohol and Other Drugs does come under the Minister for Health so I will let him respond.
However, in terms of Alcohol and Other Drugs, and this is what the CLP opposition refuse to acknowledge, there have been significant increases in the number of rehabilitation and sobering-up shelter beds in the Territory under a Labor government. Today we have some 300 rehabilitation and sobering-up shelter beds in the Territory. That is largely …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Katherine! Member for Fong Lim!
Ms LAWRIE: If you understand the Alcohol and Other Drugs funding arrangements in terms of federal financial relations …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Fong Lim!
Ms LAWRIE: If you understand the federal financial relations in terms of Alcohol and Other Drugs funding, that is largely Commonwealth funding, but the Territory has also increased our spend as well.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr VATSKALIS (Health): Madam Speaker, I would like to advise the opposition there was no cut in the funding of Alcohol and Other Drugs. It was simply a reduction of $100 000 by the completion of an OATSIH-funded program. I am really disappointed by the Leader of the Opposition coming here so unprepared, claiming reductions in Alcohol and Other Drugs, in family services, that we did not increase the budget. There was no reduction in our budget. There is no …
Members interjecting.
Mr VATSKALIS: There is no reduction in our budget. To the contrary, for Child Protection Services there is extra funding of $700 000. If they studied the budget carefully, they would find there is no reduction in children’s services. In addition to that, they made an allegation that we have not increased the budget for Child Protection by 107% - we have. If you look very carefully, you will find that, in children’s services, not only …
Mr Tollner interjecting.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr VATSKALIS: There is no reduction, Madam Speaker. On the contrary, in Child Protection there has been an increase, a significant increase in funding from approximately $35m in 2004-05 to $74.7m in 2009-10, and that includes family and parent support services, Child Protection Services, and Out of Home Care services - anything to do with protection of children in the Territory.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016