Regional voices heard at Lismore drug summit

THE NSW Government has committed $21 million to help overcome drug addiction on the Northern Rivers, as stakeholders gathered for a drug summit in Lismore on Monday.

Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park and Lismore MP Janelle Saffin announced the funding will be rolled out over four years to enhance alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment and support for people in Northern NSW.

It includes $6.8 million for three new programs to be provided by not-for-profit AOD services and mental health organisation The Buttery.

It will also fund health services supporting substance use in pregnancy as well as expansion of alcohol and other drug hospital consultation services and enhanced services for young people.

Among the people attending the NSW Drug Summit 2024 was Kurt Simpson, from the Aboriginal Corporation Drug and Alcohol Network, who shared the value of embracing culture as a way to help Indigenous people overcome addiction.

“Culture is a big thing for survival for my people. To learn culture will help them get across the line through addiction,” Mr Simpson said.

Adopting a system that fostered reconnection with culture and family was the pathway to breaking that cycle, he said.

Residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility the Glen Centre executive director Joe Coyte​​​​ said he believed hosting forums in regional centres was essential to understanding the unique problems each community faced as they were often dealing with different drugs.

“The solution that’s going to be [is] based on what the problem is you’re trying to solve,” Mr Coyte said.

He said decriminalising minor drug offences was an important step to breaking the cycle.

“The Indigenous people are once again over-represented,” he said. “They shouldn’t be criminalised for drug possession, we all agree that that’s not helpful. They’re impacted for the rest of their life.”

Mr Coyte called for a review of funding and the bodies overseeing programs, to see whether what is being done is working or needs change. He said the success of the summit will be measured by the outcome it has on people with addiction problems.