The northern and western suburbs of Melbourne will receive $6.47 million for local drug and alcohol rehabilitation services as part of the Turnbull Coalition Government’s plan to combat the scourge of ice, or crystal methamphetamine, in communities across the country.
The funding will seek to help reduce demand for ice and reduce addict-based crime by supporting local rehabilitation services to help get addicts off ice and out of the drug market.
Senator the Hon Scott Ryan, Minister for Vocational Education and Skills and Liberal Senator for Victoria, announced the new funding on Wednesday at the Melbourne Primary Care Network Offices, which will be used to help combat the devastating impact of ice.
“Ice is ruining lives, destroying communities and does not discriminate,” Senator Ryan said.
“This money, delivered to the North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network, will provide much needed services to people in Melbourne’s northern and western suburbs who are grappling with ice addiction and substance misuse.
“Families across our community are dealing with the fallout of this drug and many are concerned about a lack of available treatment and rehab services.”
While treatment delivery is traditionally the responsibility of state governments, the Turnbull Coalition Government has recognised the urgency of this situation and acted.
The funding for local services is part of the Turnbull Coalition Government’s response to the National Ice Taskforce report, which was handed down in December last year. The North Western Primary Health Network – whose reach extends from the Melbourne CBD to Bacchus Marsh in the west and Lancefield in the north –will be responsible for commissioning services with the funding from July 1.
Minister for Rural Health Fiona Nash said it was clear that the community needs to take a broad approach to solving this problem.
“Police everywhere are doing a great job and making record numbers of busts,” Minister Nash said. “Police and the National Ice Taskforce have recommended we also focus on reducing demand.
“If we want to break the drug dealer’s business model, we have to smash the demand for their terrible product and this funding will help to do just that.”
In addition to funding for rehabilitation services, local volunteer groups will soon be able to access grants from the Coalition Government to deliver local education and prevention programmes across the community.
The Coalition is also providing support to more than 1200 community sporting clubs to deliver prevention messages about ice, with a focus on regional Australia.
These programmes are part of the Turnbull Coalition Government’s comprehensive $300m plan to tackle ice across Australia.