Tuesday, 14 November 2023

Responses

Ingrid STITT (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (17:51): There were 16 adjournment matters this evening to 10 separate ministers, and I will refer those adjournment matters to the relevant ministers for a written response in accordance with the standing orders.

Dr Heath raised an important issue around overdoses, which I am happy to acquit now. Can I say from the outset that of course we are committed to trying to prevent every death associated with drug use and drug harm in our community. Every single life lost to overdose is an absolute tragedy, and it is incumbent on all of us to work really hard to try to bring these numbers down. Of course the recent data that was released by the Coroners Court shows that, very sadly, the figures are high this reporting period. There were 549 fatal drug overdoses in Victoria in 2022. We really need to reflect on that and look at all of the programs that we are pursuing and investing in to make sure that we try and prevent these tragedies from occurring. Whilst the numbers remain far too high, it is important to note that the government is making significant efforts to reduce this drug harm and the toll of overdoses and other drug harms. We have doubled the investment in our alcohol and other drug services across the state. In the 2023–24 state budget we invested $255 million in additional funding over the next four years. That is in addition to the $372 million into our drug and alcohol services, which represents a doubling since 2014–15.

We have introduced the life-saving medically supervised injecting room in North Richmond, and this is where I think I probably take a different view to Dr Heath. I actually see the medically supervised injecting room as part of the ongoing effort to bring down that overdose toll. The statistics that are provided through the North Richmond service very strongly indicate that we have been saving lives as a result of that service. There were 6500 overdoses treated at that facility, and the service estimates that 65 lives were saved as a result of the interventions and the supports that are in place through the medically supervised injecting room in North Richmond.

In addition, we are also investing in completing Victoria’s naloxone reforms, meaning that frontline harm reduction workers will be able to directly dispense life-saving medication to people at risk of opioid overdose. We are also reviewing our pharmacotherapy program to stabilise and expand access to these critical support services for people who are struggling with addiction, whilst also keeping an eye on emerging drug trends, obviously with an acute awareness of the overdose hazards that are currently being experienced in places like North America with the opioid epidemic over there through some of the pharmaceutical-grade opioids.

We will continue to prioritise a health-led approach to drug use. We know that that will yield positive results and help change people’s lives. I am absolutely committed to doing whatever we can to drive down that terrible loss of life, and all of our services work very hard in that regard.

Renee Heath: On a point of order, President, I am not sure what the procedure is here, but will I still get a response to my actual question, which is how many of those 230 in 2022 and then 173 were clients?

The PRESIDENT: The minister can acquit her adjournment matter in real time if it is a matter for her, so it has been acquitted.

Ingrid STITT: Dr Heath, in my answer I took some issue with the assertion that the supervised injecting room did anything other than save lives rather than cost lives. I think I have acquitted the matter, but it is open to you to ask me these things in any manner you choose to do so.

The PRESIDENT: The house stands adjourned.

House adjourned 5:56 pm.