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Drug Free Australia speech by Parliamentary speech of the Honorable Dennis Hood, Government of South Australia, Australia.

Written by WFAD Thursday, 06 September 2018 15:40

DRUG FREE AUSTRALIA 
Parliamentary speech of the Honorable Dennis Hood, Government of South Australia, Australia, Wednesday 5th September, 2018. 
On the fifth of September, 2018, The Hon. D.G.E. Hood rose to speak about the important work of Drug Free Australia, member of the World Federation Against Drugs, in the Parliament House. 
 
"Drug Free Australia's vision is to ensure communities, including members of parliament, are well informed about the harms of drug use and are empowered with knowledge to assist in effective policy information. Indeed, many members in this place may have received emails from Drug Free Australia from time to time, which I personally have found to be very helpful and quite informative, given I hold views that are largely in accordance with their own, in particular on how we should treat the issues of trafficking, sale and manufacturing of illicit substances.

Members may not be aware that the chairman of Drug Free Australia is Major Brian Watters, who was actually the chair of former prime minister John Howard's Australian National Council on Drugs (ANCD), which served as his drug advisory from 1996 through to 2007. During this particular period, I am informed that the national cannabis use was halved, amphetamine use was cut by 40 per cent and heroin use decreased by 75 per cent. Major Watters was also Australia's representative to the United Nations' International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) throughout most of these years, which is an impressive accolade for one.

As part of their work, and in recognition that legislators require reliable, accurate and up-to-date information with regard to the prevalence of substance abuse in our nation, Drug Free Australia provides briefs to parliamentarians whenever specific issues call for evidence-based clarity. Part of the organisation's work with members of the federal parliament and state parliaments is undertaken through its participation in parliamentary inquiries, where its submissions are often cited at the reporting stage." 

Read the full speech here.