MEDIA RELEASE
Public hearing to discuss Canberra’s needle and syringe program
The Committee will today meet with Directions Health Services. Directions operates community-based treatment and support services, a needle and syringe program, an alcohol and other drug treatment facility, harm minimisation-based interventions and therapeutic treatments.
The Committee will also hear from Drug Free Australia and Hepatitis ACT.
The hearing will run from 1.30 pm to 3 pm in the Prince Edward Island Room in the Legislative Assembly building. It will be live streamed at ACT Legislative Video on Demand.
Details are available at Public hearings schedule - ACT Legislative Assembly.
The Bill seeks to amend the Drugs of Dependence Act 1989 to lower the penalty for simple drug offences (i.e., the possession of small quantities of drugs such as MDMA, cocaine and heroin). It also provides for simple drug offences to be treated in the same way in which the Act treats simple cannabis offences.
The Committee is examining the Bill, policy best practice, the impacts of current ACT policy, and funding for drug control and harm reduction.
The Committee website lists 56 submissions, including from the NSW Police Force and Dr Alex Wodak. Further hearings are scheduled at the end of July.
21 July 2021
STATEMENT ENDS.
For further information in relation to the Select Committee on the Drugs of Dependence (Personal Use) Amendment Bill 2021, please contact:
Committee Chair, Mr Peter Cain MLA on (02) 6205 1927
Committee Secretary on (02) 6205 0129 or at LASelectCommitteeDDAB2021@parliament.act.gov.au