As your Member for Yerrabi in the ACT Legislative Assembly, I mostly focus on issues close to home. But as a Shadow Minister across a number of portfolios, I like to keep a watchful eye on global events to see how they could affect us here in the ACT. One such event happened recently in the US state of Oregon where the government passed legislation to increase penalties for hard drugs like heroin, meth and cocaine.
As the Shadow Minister for Police and Emergency Services, I was immediately curious why they had decided to pass such legislation. I think everyone here in the ACT can understand why I was interested in that news!
As it turns out, less than 4 years ago the government of Oregon had passed legislation to decriminalise the possession of hard drugs, where individuals if caught with small quantities of hard drugs would be penalised with a $100USD fine or diversion to counselling. Sounds familiar? In October 2023, the ACT Government’s Drugs of Dependence (Personal Use) Amendment Bill 2022 became law.
This bill amended the Drugs of Dependency ACT allowing personal use of hard drugs in the ACT, without the potential for a penalty. The maximum penalties for possessing small amounts of some illegal drugs for personal use would attract either diversion to a health education and information session, or the option of paying a $100 fine.
The ACT Labor Greens government passed the legislation, despite concerns raised by ACT police, interstate police, Australian Border Force and local GP’s. And if the Greens had their way, it would have been pushed further, increasing the limits to allow months of supply to be decriminalised.
Yet, the experience in Oregon is salutary. In the space of 4 years their soft on drugs policy has been a complete and utter disaster. The policy caused drug paraphernalia and used syringes to litter the streets and parks. Oregon has seen an increases in crime, homelessness, public defecation, and worst of all huge increases in drug related deaths.
In the first 3 months since the legislation passed in the ACT, police have caught 70 people with illicit drugs in the quantities defined as for personal use. 67 of these chose to undergo the drug diversion program. But 13 of those have not turned up. They will then be followed up and fined. A very soft-on-drugs approach.
The weekend of the 23-24 March also saw the Rebel Motorbike gang decide that Canberra would be a great place to hold their annual meetings. 2 further drug arrests were made.
So you might ask why are the Labour Greens government are pushing ahead with such a policy despite global evidence that it can potentially be enough for an overdose or potentially death.
During the Select Committee public hearings into the Bill (held in July, 2021), Canberrans heard harrowing stories from the families of drug users. Some of whom had suffered for over ten years with members of their families who were addicted to drugs. They spoke of the ripple effect for families, friends and the community. And they understood, there is no such thing as a little bit of drugs. These drugs are addictive, they are hard core, and once addicted it is very difficult to get off them.
The Canberra liberals have stood with these families. The Canberra Liberals called for the re-criminalisation of drugs of dependence, and I stand by that. As a strong liberal I believe strong drug regulation is crucial because drug usage hurts the users and the community alike. And, as was mentioned by the families in the evidence to the Select Committee, by being tougher on drug users at the start of their usage, we are caring because as evidence shows it prevents them from potentially overdosing. That’s the simple fact.
So when this year’s election comes around, vote for tougher drug regulation to save lives and keep our community safe.