SummaryIn March 2009, the Australian Senate's Committee on Community Affairs released the report of its Inquiry into petrol sniffing and substance abuse in Central Australia. In all, the report contained 18 recommendations. One recommendation urged the State and Federal Governments to "actively" expand "the roll-out of Opal fuel to the far west coast region of South Australia." Another recommendation called for male and female youth workers to be employed in each community on the APY Lands. The Paper TrailOn 17 June 2008, the Australian Senate established an Inquiry into petrol sniffing and substance abuse in Central Australia.[i] The Terms of Reference for the Inquiry required the Senate's Community Affairs Standing Committee to examine and report on: - the ongoing effectiveness of the eight-point plan in combating petrol sniffing in central Australia,
- the extent of the roll-out of Opal fuel,
- the delivery of youth services in affected areas,
- the effectiveness and adequacy of resources provided to address petrol sniffing and substance abuse in Central Australia, and
- what more needs to be done to effectively address petrol sniffing.[ii]
On 19 August 2008, the Paper Tracker made a formal submission to the Inquiry. Our submission focussed on: the need for Opal fuel to be available in Yalata and surrounding centres, policing in remote Anangu communities, police facilities at Yalata, and importance of finalising the Mintabie lease negotiations as soon as possible. Click here to download a copy of the Paper Tracker's submission (file size: 196KB)
On 2 March 2009, the Senate Committee travelled to Amata, where it visited the Substance Misuse Facility, Tjala Arts, the local school, the PY Ku centre and the community's Family Centre.[iii] On 4 March 2009, the Committee heard formal evidence in Adelaide from, among others: BP Australia, the South Australian Government, the Aboriginal Drug and Alcohol Council of SA, the National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction, and the Paper Tracker (UnitingCare Wesley Adelaide).[iv] Click here to download the transcript of the evidence (file size: 691KB)
Report and Recommendations On 19 March 2009, the report of the Committee's Inquiry was tabled in the Australian Senate.[v] The report contained 18 recommendations, one of which urged the State and Federal Governments to "actively" expand "the roll-out of Opal fuel to the far west coast region of South Australia (Recommendation 8).[vi] Another recommendation called for a male and a female youth worker to be employed in each community covered in the Petrol Sniffing Strategy Zone (Recommendation 12). That zone takes in all of the main communities on the APY Lands.[vii] The report also contained a considerable amount of information on substance abuse in South Australia's Anangu communities and associated matters. For example, it noted that: - as of 1 July 2008, Opal fuel was available in 18 sites across South Australia,[viii]
- the roadhouse at Cadney Park - close to the APY Lands - has refused to stock Opal fuel,[ix]
- in 2006, Drug and Alcohol Services South Australia (DASSA) established a mobile outreach program for people with substance abuse problems on the APY Lands which, as of May 2008, had assisted more than 110 people,[x]
- a survey into the prevalence of petrol sniffing on the APY Lands, conducted in November 2008, reported that "marihuana was the main drug of choice ... and that petrol was only sniffed by past sniffers when they were unable to obtain marihuana,"[xi]
- delays in supplying Opal fuel to Yalata were "only due to issues associated with the lack of infrastructure" in that community,[xii] and
- none of the communities and centres surrounding Yalata had so far applied to the Federal Department of Health and Ageing for the supply of Opal fuel.[xiii]
The Committee's report noted that "ongoing monitoring" of the implementation of its recommendations was "essential to ensure that recent gains ... are sustained in the longer term."[xiv] To that end, the Committee recommended (Recommendation 18) that: the Commonwealth government provide adequate additional resources to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner to monitor and report annually on the progress towards implementing ... [the report's] recommendations until the Commissioner can report that all recommendations have been sufficiently addressed.[xv]
Click here to download a copy of the Inquiry's full report The Paper Tracker will endeavour to monitor the implementation of the Inquiry's recommendations and update this page as additional information comes to hand. The Paper Tracker strives to provide accurate and up-to-date information. It believes the above account to be a true and fair representation of what has happened. We will remove any inaccurate information as soon as it is brought to our attention. Please contact us if you have additional information on this matter or can provide us with an update.
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