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Canberra Today 24°/28° | Friday, March 29, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Letters / The mentally ill are being ‘overlooked’

MICHAEL Moore’s column (“Worried pollies chase cures for health neglect”, CN April 13) speaks of the Fitzharris health symposium in Canberra and states that “there remain significant gaps in health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as well as for migrants and refugees”.

quillI am disappointed that the situation for people with severe mental health problems appears to have been overlooked. I understand that their health outcomes – and life expectancy – is actually worse than for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Maureen Bell, via email

Drug-drive problem worsens

THERE is growing evidence that the drug-drive problem is increasing. For example, on December 16, Peter Malinauskas, SA’s Minister for Police and Correctional Services, announced that between 2011 and 2015, 22 per cent of drivers or riders killed on South Australian roads tested positive for THC, methamphetamine, ecstasy or a combination of these drugs. Unlike alcohol-related deaths, this number was not decreasing.

It would be good news if the ACT had a different trend but the ABC online news of January 31 revealed police were nabbing 12 times more Canberrans for drug-driving than four years ago in a trend experts say is sweeping the country. The illicit drug situation is horrendous – and our kids are dying while all our governments do is stand like kangaroos caught in the glare of policy headlights.

Colliss Parrett, Barton

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Ian Meikle, editor

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