Time for Change Survey and Report

22 ● Female-identifying people expressed significantly more support for banning drug detection dogs compared to male and gender-diverse individuals. ● Support was also varied across states/territories, with significantly higher support from Victorian residents and NSW residents, and lower support from Queenslanders and South Australians. Recommendation #4 We recommend that all state and territory governments commit to (a) ceasing drug detection dogs and strip searching practices targeting people who use drugs, (b) promoting accountability and transparency through accurate public reporting on how search powers are exercised by police, and (c) shifting the role of police from enforcement to community care through enhancing harm reduction training and practices. Establishment of new drug consumption rooms Despite widespread government reluctance to respond to community need for drug consumption rooms, including supervised injecting facilities, 87.7% support the establishment of more services where there is demonstrated community need. Support was consistently high across all respondents, with slightly less support from family members of people who use drugs (see Figure 6). Some respondents added additional comments around the availability of and access to different kinds of drug consumption rooms: “There should be more Supervised Injecting Facilities around Australia” “I strongly oppose police hanging around safe injecting rooms, it is a deterrent for users and causes unnecessary stress” “Safer smoking kits and supervised inhalation rooms should be looked into to support everybody that chooses to smoke their drugs” There were statistically significant differences in support for establishing new drug consumption rooms across demographics: ● There was significantly more support from NSW residents and less support from QLD residents compared to respondents from other states or territories. ● Individuals aged 56 and older showed significantly less support compared to those aged 35 and younger and those aged 36 to 55, while no significant difference was observed between those aged 35 and younger and those aged 36 to 55. ● Support was significantly higher among respondents who identified as people who use drugs, friends of people who use drugs, and professionals, when compared to people who did not identify these ways. Family members of people who use drugs were less supportive, when compared to people who did not identify in this way.