Urgent Calls For NSW Gov’t To Increase Alcohol & Drug Sector Funding By $13M Per Year

The Network of Alcohol and other Drugs Agencies (NADA) has called on the New South Wales government this morning to urgently increase its funding by $13 million year-on-year for the next 5 years.

This recommendation comes ahead of the 2026-27 State Budget, to be delivered in June 2026.

The proposed increase would result in a total of $65 million in funding per year by 2029, with the organisation warning that without this added support, up to 100,000 people could remain on a waitlist that is, according to NADA CEO Dr Robert Stirling, “too long to survive”.

“The 2024 NSW Drug Summit clearly identified the problem and its causes – this Budget must deliver the solutions,” said Stirling.

“The Summit was the second government inquiry this decade, but the reality on the ground is a bottleneck of more than 100,000 people who need treatment that are unable to access it. This is due to chronic underfunding to the AOD [Alcohol and Other Drugs] sector who are willing and capable to pick up the shortfall, but simply don’t have the funding to deliver the services.

“To complicate matters, we are no longer managing AOD dependence in isolation. Services are responding to complex and multilayered trauma, with people navigating alcohol and drug use alongside homelessness, mental health challenges and domestic violence.”

According to NADA, in NSW on the average day, more than 1800 people are waiting for NGO services, which make up to 50% of all treatment delivered in the state. The lack of financial support for these services is particularly glaring when regarded alongside the excellent results they deliver, with 80 per cent of those treated achieving positive outcomes.

NADA funding is not spending, it’s an investment.

While the need for increased funding is clear, NADA has pointed out that it could actually save the government money.

“Our sector is the most efficient partner the government has,” said Stirling. “For every dollar invested, our sector saved the taxpayer seven in terms of interactions with the health, justice, policing and community services systems.

“Funding more AOD services would deliver a win for the people who need help, and a win for the budget too.”