The Government created a National Ice Task Force as first step in combatting the growing problem of crystal methamphetamine or ice
In a statement, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said the Commonwealth Government will be working with States and Territories to develop a National Ice Action Strategy to tackle the growing scourge of ice. The statement saud ice is ruining individual, destroying families and hurting communities.
The Australian Crime Commission considers ice poses the highest risk of all illicit drugs to our community with ice use are almost doubling in the last twelve months.
More and more Australians are touched by the ice epidemic every day.
The first step in developing a National Ice Action Strategy will be the establishment of a National Ice Taskforce. Assistant Minister for Health Fiona Nash and Minister for Justice Michael Keenan will oversee the Taskforce and lead the government’s response to the ice issue.
The Taskforce will be led by Ken Lay APM who was Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police from 2011 until very recently.
The overall purpose of the Taskforce will be to examine all existing efforts to address ice and identify ways to take a systematic, comprehensive and coordinated approach to education, health and law enforcement.
Because the ice scourge affects the whole community, the Taskforce will consult widely to ensure that all aspects of this menace are being addressed.
Governments at all levels are taking steps to address ice but these efforts need to be targeted, efficient and effective. While these initiatives are being rolled out at the local, state and territory level, there is a role for the Commonwealth Government to assist in coordinating and assessing their effectiveness in addressing the ice epidemic.
The Taskforce will provide an interim report to the Prime Minister by the middle of this year.
The Prime Minister will take the report to the first subsequent meeting of the Council of Australian Governments to ensure that the campaign against ice is fought in a coordinated, targeted and effective way.