Drug harm reduction
Rachel PAYNE (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:16): My question is for the Minister for Mental Health. Needle and syringe programs have a long history of helping to reduce harm and save lives. They were first introduced in the 1980s in response to the HIV epidemic. Monash Health’s needle and syringe program has been providing people who inject drugs with access to free and integrated support since 2005. This program helps reduce the risk to people who use substances of contracting bloodborne viruses and experiencing drug overdoses. It also reduces the social impact and the impact on the public environment by meeting people where they are at, embedding services in local communities experiencing harm. My question is: will the minister advise us of the importance of this program and embedding services within affected communities?
Ingrid STITT (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (12:16): I thank Ms Payne for her question and her advocacy in relation to all of the work that needs to occur to reduce drug harm across the community, including in your region, Ms Payne, of South-Eastern Metro. You are correct, the needle exchange program is a very important public health initiative. It has been operating in Victoria since 1987, and it is one of the key public health measures we take to stop the spread, or minimise the spread, of bloodborne viruses amongst people who take drugs or inject drugs in the wider community. In terms of the importance of these services, I can indicate that the NSP delivers across Victoria in a variety of different ways, including fixed-site mobile services, there is a disposal hotline for used syringes and there are the outreach and foot patrol teams. It is all about continuing to reduce harm. In relation to Monash specifically, as you have indicated this program has been operating since 2005. Obviously one of the key issues, apart from the harm minimisation and the public health response of a needle exchange program, is about education. It is also about reducing stigma for those that use drugs so they can get that support in a stigma-free environment.
The government continues to be incredibly committed to these programs. We have a very strong record of investment when it comes to reducing drug harm. Since 2014 we have invested more than $3 billion to expand our drug treatment supports and harm minimisation services, and of course needle exchange programs are an incredibly important part of that approach. By way of example, the statewide action plan does provide an opportunity for a campaign – in the CBD initially – about reducing stigma and educating people in the CBD community about drug use and the impacts more broadly. And that, I think, is work that can be scaled up, if you like, and used in other communities, including other parts of the city where we know drug use is quite common.
Rachel PAYNE (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:19): I thank the minister for her response. By way of supplementary, members of the opposition continue to knowingly spread misinformation about these programs and drive stigma, claiming they facilitate drug addiction. What steps is the minister taking to address this kind of misinformation?
Ingrid STITT (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (12:20): Thank you for that important supplementary question. It is disappointing that people have a tendency to play politics with some of the most vulnerable cohorts in our community. What I would say is that it is incumbent on everybody in this place to not be part of disseminating inaccurate information, particularly when the stakes are so high, particularly when we see alarming figures through the coroner’s work in relation to drug overdose in the community. It is incredibly important that accurate information is available to the community, including to our diverse communities. There is a need for continued effort when it comes to providing this sort of information in language to particular parts of our very diverse Victorian population.
The PRESIDENT: I acknowledge a former member of the Assembly in the gallery, Donna Hope.