Launch of Drugline

Thank you for inviting me to celebrate the launch of Drug Help Line today, and I’d especially like to welcome Paul Traynor, Chief Executive of the Alcohol and Drug Association of New Zealand, to Parliament.

I’d also like to acknowledge my cabinet colleague Hon Jim Anderton, who, as associate Minister of Health, has responsibility for drug issues. Jim is also, of course, one of the Government’s Christchurch MPs, and ADANZ is also based in Christchurch.

I know many of you have been involved in developing this service from the beginning and you should feel rightly proud of where the service has got to today.

I first heard about this proposal more than two years ago when I visited Christchurch at Paul’s invitation to look at the Alcohol Help Line facilities and meet the staff.

Paul told me of his vision to expand the service to include help on drug issues and I promised to take up the issue on his behalf to try to obtain the necessary funding for this initiative.

His ideas made good health sense, and he certainly passed on his enthusiasm to me.

Well, it’s taken longer than any of us wanted, but finally today we can celebrate the launch of Drug Help Line.

I want to thank everyone involved for your dedication and effort in coming this far. The expanded service couldn't have occurred without your knowledge, ideas, time and enthusiasm.

The expanded Drug Help Line is a welcome response to a range of drug-related problems and will provide easy access to accurate information – the very sort of information people have been looking for, and often failing to find, for a long time.

It is also a timely development as everyone is becoming aware of the dangers caused by the increased use of so-called party drugs.

This is the first time there has been a national centre where young people, parents, health professionals, and schools will be able to access consistent and credible information on drugs.

The expanded service will ensure New Zealanders will be able to obtain information from people who know what they are talking about and people who have the resources to make the service work.

Drug Help Line has the level of expertise needed to provide robust and informed advice that I hope will minimise the harm that can be caused by drugs.

Callers will be able to get the helping voice or helping hand they are seeking.

The advice will be from real people who genuinely understand the issues and what help and assistance is available. In short, the service will ensure the right information gets to the right people at the right time.

I am heartened by the commitment to work with Maori to offer improved services to help Maori with drug-related problems.

The expanded help line service fits neatly with the Government's philosophy of developing health services that emphasise early intervention and harm minimisation.

This approach is at the heart of the New Zealand Health Strategy, the Primary Health Care Strategy and the National Drug Policy.

It is important to seek proactive ways to minimise the harm caused by drug use and abuse.

I’m very pleased to be launching the Drug Help Line today. I am confident of the contribution it will make to people seeking support and confidential and accurate information.

Congratulations again on your efforts and thank you for inviting me to be part of this celebration.