WA MP's family drug devastation

As the father of a drug addict, West Australian MP Mick Murray has often wondered what he could have done to stop his daughter taking that devastating path.

"It's gut wrenching. You soul search yourself, you look at it and say, `well what could I have done differently?'" he told ABC radio on Wednesday.

Strangers have told the Labor MP he's not alone in his struggle since his family's once-private battle was revealed, and he believes he has a public duty to help others facing the same problem.

The state opposition will soon announce details of its Crystal Meth Action Plan, which Mr Murray says will involve policing to catch drug dealers, support services for rehabilitation, and working with schools and health agencies.

Mr Murray's 35-year-old daughter, Bree, has been addicted to methylamphetamine for about 15 years and remains behind bars waiting for a second set of drug charges to be dealt with in court.

She was given a 12-month prison sentence this week, suspended for 18 months, after being found in June with three clip seal bags containing 28 MDMA tablets, eight empty bags and scales.

Mr Murray said when the family learned of her drug problem, they believed it could be easily fixed.

"It wasn't that easy. It just kept reappearing," he said.

She represented Australia in the under-21 hockey team and moved to Japan for two years to study and get away from the drug scene before returning home.

"From then the spiral started again, which in recent times was just out of control," Mr Murray said.

"Her usage was over $500 a day."

Since being imprisoned, Murray has put on weight, her skin has cleared up and she has been able to joke again with her father.