9. BARBARA STEWART (NZ First) Link to this
to the Associate Minister of Health
Is he satisfied with the current availability of drug and alcohol abuse assessment and treatment programmes in New Zealand; if so, why?
Hon JIM ANDERTONIs he aware of reports that in Christchurch addicts wait for an average of 8 weeks for a specialist assessment, the first step for entry into detoxification programmes, and does he think that is satisfactory; if not, what is being done to shorten the waiting times?
Yes, I am aware of that. The national average for waiting times for assessment is around 4 weeks, and Christchurch happens to be the worst area in the country. At any one time, of course, about 22,000 people are in treatment using services from 97 providers, and about 130 sites are funded, of course, through district health boards around the country. The Government now spends 50 percent more on this area of treatment than it has in the past. I congratulate and thank our support parties, including New Zealand First, for assisting us to do that. In return for that, the waiting times for services have dropped. As I say, it takes on average 3 weeks to get into community assessment programmes and about 1 month for residential care.
Dr Jonathan Coleman Link to this
What provision is the Minister making for the massive increase in demand for residential programmes to treat P addiction, and does he understand that many, many working families just cannot afford to pay thousands and thousands of dollars for private treatment at the Pakuranga facility?
P, of course, is an addictive methamphetamine, and there are many other varieties of it, but the treatment for addictive substances is basically the same. The number of residential facilities for that treatment has expanded rapidly under this Government. During this year, in the last 3 to 4 months, I personally have opened two more of those facilities in Christchurch alone. That would be 200 percent more than National ever opened in its term of office.
Hon Tariana Turia Link to this
Tēnā koe, Madam Speaker. Is the Minister aware that only one kaupapa whānau drug and alcohol programme exists in the whole of Aotearoa—Te Whānau Manaki o Manawatu—which does an incredible job with insufficient resources, and when will he be taking action to address that deplorable situation?
Unfortunately, because of the level of alcohol abuse in New Zealand, I have no doubt that there will always be gaps in the services. I understand that, but I have to point out that since 2001 we have increased the funding for residential and other treatment for drug and alcohol abuse from $65.6 million to $94.7 million. That is the largest increase in this area of service in any Government’s record. I suggest to the member that this Government is at least addressing the problem, which was never addressed before.
Is he aware of comments made by a longstanding Christchurch defence lawyer that “[Crime] is very intimately linked with the abuse of alcohol and drugs. If it wasn’t for the drugs and the alcohol, I’m sure we wouldn’t have the crime level we are currently grappling with.”; is that not a compelling reason to increase the availability of drug and alcohol treatment nationally?
Yes, it is. I have said many, many times that in my experience—and I am sure in the experience of any member in this House—alcohol is the most serious drug abused in this country by a very, very long way. For example, Christchurch had a youth drug court but no residential facility for the treatment of young criminals. That has now been fixed, and there is now a residential treatment facility there. It was opened this year. That is typical of the measures that are being taken throughout New Zealand.
Taito Phillip Field Link to this
Given the incidence of problems with regard to P, other drugs, and alcohol in South Auckland, what are some of the Government’s initiatives concerning offences related to those problems in recent times, in terms of partnership—real, effective partnership—with communities on the ground with regard to that issue?
I would like to be able to say that the abuse of alcohol and drugs, and criminal offending as a result of that, were restricted to one or two regions in New Zealand. But unfortunately they are not; they occur right across the country. In Manukau City, in particular, I am aware of many initiatives that have been taken by the police in that community. We have, in fact, two community action groups on drug and alcohol for young people that have been established there for 2 or 3 years, and they are doing very good work indeed. But we would not have to be rocket scientists to work out that all of this is extremely complex, and we cannot say in any way that we are satisfied with the results.
Hon Tariana Turia Link to this
What will the Minister do to address the ongoing concerns expressed by Māori communities about the lack of Government support for kaupapa whānau drug and alcohol abuse assessment and treatment programmes; and how does such a failure to act sit alongside the National Drug Policy, which states that drug and alcohol problems in Māori communities may be addressed more effectively when targeted approaches are developed by and for Māori?
Hon Tariana Turia Link to this
I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. I do not want to waste the Minister’s time by his going through that answer again, because that is not what the question was.
I was asked whether the Government was concerned about treatment. The member has a specific commitment to Māori; I have a commitment to the whole population—
Hon Tariana Turia Link to this
I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. I am speaking particularly about kaupapa whānau alcohol abuse assessment and treatment programmes. They are not the same as individual treatment programmes, and I am offering the Minister an opportunity to answer.
Madam SPEAKERAs I mentioned, there are a number of community programmes—actually, 25 of them—throughout the country, and many of them are specifically aimed at Māori young people throughout New Zealand. They are based in the community and have very well-known leaders in the Māori community leading them, and, as far as I know, in respect of the national hui that will take place this month in Wellington, they are all very impressed and satisfied with the way in which those services are operating.