Hutchison Paul: Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill (No 3) — In Committee Third Reading 
Hutchison Paul: Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill (No 3) — In Committee Third Reading 
[Volume:626;Page:21509] 
Dr PAUL HUTCHISON (National—Port Waikato) 
: 
 Thank you for the opportunity to speak on the preliminary clauses of this very important Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill (No 3). The National Party is indeed supporting these very important parts of the bill because as introduced they amend two main areas of the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Misuse of Drugs Amendment Act 1978. These deal with presumption of supply matters to be amended by Order in Council subject to the affirmative resolution procedure; they also amend the presumption of supply quantity for methamphetamine and add a Ministry of Justice official as a member of the Expert Advisory Committee on Drugs. The National Party certainly believes that all those things are very important in terms of ensuring that the affirmative resolution procedure can be used in the most optimal way possible given that it is a very special procedure. 
I did not get an opportunity when we were discussing Part 1 to talk about the Needle and Syringe Exchange Programme. One of the aspects of Part 1 was indeed the reversal of proof that would be allowed for individuals who were on the programme so that they would not be subject to having to provide proof in the first instance that the needles were not obtained legally. Instead the proof is on the part of the police to do this. I think that is a very useful measure because undoubtedly the Needle and Syringe Exchange Programme in New Zealand has essentially been a very useful process. 
I was approached by the Drug Foundation to support an amendment that might completely remove any form of punishment for needle exchange users whether they had obtained those needles through the programme or through illicit means. I understand that the international evidence has been that where there has been no form of recrimination for those needle users it has meant that they have been able to go about the needle exchange process much more freely than is the case at present. Because as I understand that even with the reversal of proof it still will mean their going to court and going through the process that they find sometimes pretty arduous and pretty difficult when they are actually part of the needle exchange process and are taking at least the responsible action to make sure that the needles that they use are clean and are unlikely to be associated with HIV hepatitis and all the infectious diseases that we are very concerned about for those substantial number of people who do indeed use needles in this country. 
I note that the final report of the Needle and Syringe Exchange Programme recommended that the New Zealand Government and the community recognise the vital role of the exchange programme in preventing HIV infections and I absolutely concur with that. It also said that the New Zealand Parliament should approve the proposed amendment to the Misuse of Drugs Act that would remove the offensive possession of needles and syringes legally obtained through the exchange programme and indeed National supports that. 
It went on to say in its 16th recommendation that the basic training of the New Zealand Police should include a short session on New Zealand’s harm minimisation and the Needle and Syringe Exchange Programme and that that exchange programme should liaise with the police to achieve this goal. I think that is very important and the National Party supports it.