NSW Drug Summit Report Sparks Renewed Push for Reform

Today, the NSW Government received the Drug Summit report from Co-Chairs Hon. Carmel Tebbutt and John Brogden AM.

The Drug Summit finally delivered on an election commitment from the Minns Labor Government to bring together experts, frontline workers, and people with lived and living experiences. The summit was focused on the different parts of the community that had been touched by the drug crisis.

Across four days, the summit listened to over 400 participants, as well as 3,600 written submissions. The participants and submissions ranged from metropolitan Sydney, Griffith, and Lismore.

In a statement, Minister for Health, Ryan Park, emphasised the need to hear out different perspectives.

“Not everyone agreed on everything, but we sought to have every voice listened to,” he said.

The ensuing report put forward 56 recommendations across key areas such as prevention, early intervention, community support, stigma, workforce, and reform.

Summit Report met with support from NADA and RACGP

The NSW Drug Summit Report has been met with support from the Network of Alcohol and other Drugs Agencies (NADA). In a statement of their own, they welcomed the report and urged the NSW Government to take swift action.

“The NSW Government now has the mandate they said they needed to make change – now we need to see action,” said Dr Robert Stirling, CEO of NADA.

“We hope that the NSW Government will prioritise the whole-of-government alcohol and other drug strategy. This must bring together the alcohol and other drug sector, along with culturally diverse communities, other health services, law enforcement, and social services to work together to better support people.”

Speaking on the 56 recommendations put forth, Stirling noted that most of them were already covered in the Ice Inquiry Report, and that it is time to “get on with meaningful reform”.

“NADA supports the 56 priority actions and stands ready to work with the NSW Government to expedite development of a 10-year plan to improve drug policy and ensure that the people of NSW can access treatment and support when and where they need it,” said Stirling.

Prior to the summit, NADA released data that revealed data that more than 1,800 people were on the waitlist for treatment services.

“We don’t need to wait for the Government response to this Report. We know that we need to increase funding to alcohol and other drug services to improve access and respond to complex presentations,” continued Stirling.

The Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) has also called on the NSW Government to act fast following the Drug Summit Report.

Rebekah Hoffman, the RACGP NSW and ACT Chair, urged the NSW Government to seize this opportunity for life-saving drug reforms.

“This report lays out a roadmap for reform that could transform how the state tackles alcohol and other drug use,” she said.

“It states that effective, available and affordable treatment for people with substance use or dependence is crucial, and I couldn’t agree more. Ask almost any GP and they will tell you that many people can’t access the care and support they need”.

Hoffman also pledged the RACGP’s support to work with the Government on policy reform.

“We look forward to working with the Government to transform alcohol and other drug policy, including the critical role of GPs,” she said.

Hoffman continued, “Overdose deaths and alcohol and drug-related harm don’t happen to ‘other people’; it could be your friend, partner, child, or colleague. At the end of the day – every life matters.”