Published Monday, 04 June, 2007 at 05:31 AM
JOINT STATEMENT
Premier and Minister for Trade
The Honourable Peter Beattie
Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for Infrastructure
The Honourable Anna Bligh
$21M BOOST FOR QLD ALCOHOL DIVERSION SERVICES
The Beattie Government’s efforts to break the alcohol-crime cycle in Indigenous communities will be boosted by the upcoming Budget, Premier Peter Beattie and Deputy Premier and Treasurer Anna Bligh have revealed.
Mr Beattie said the Government had allocated $21.3 million over four years to improve alcohol diversion services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
“The upcoming State Budget will include $6 million in recurrent funding and $1.1 million capital funding in 2007–08 as part of the four-year program,” Mr Beattie said.
“The extra funding will improve the existing diversionary services designed to break the alcohol-crime cycle, which is one of the primary causes of Indigenous over-representation in the criminal justice system.
“These services are vital for people who are vulnerable and who, without intervention, are at risk of entering the criminal justice system,” he said.
“The Government continues to work with Indigenous communities to provide treatment programs for people whose alcohol use brings them before the courts.
“The programs are designed to reduce the harm caused by alcohol, especially the disruption alcohol causes to families and children.
“Breaking the alcohol-crime cycle will go a long way to address deep-seated problems in our remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
“This funding will allow Cell Watch programs in diversion centres in Cairns, Mount Isa, Rockhampton and Brisbane to operate 24 hours a day.
“It will also allow these diversion centres to provide programs and services for people from surrounding communities.”
Also included in the program are:
• expanded accommodation and support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through the Jimaylya Topsy Harry Centre in Mount Isa
• expanded youth justice initiatives in the Burdekin area and Rockhampton to divert young people from the criminal justice system and provide mentoring and support for these young people
• more services and hours of operation for the Mackay Cell Watch service
• extra operational funding and capital works for the Reverend Charles Harris diversionary centre in Townsville, ensuring a 24-hour service
• ongoing funding for the Townsville Community Patrol to provide outreach and support services in known hot spots in the Townsville/Thuringowa area
• funding for a community patrol on Palm Island.
“The funding boost will ensure that the existing operations have the capacity to respond to local needs and provide consistent, high-quality, sustainable services,” Mr Beattie said.
ENDS
Media contacts:
Premier’s office: 3224 4500
Deputy Premier & Treasurer’s office: 3224 4379
Communities Minister’s office: 3235 4286
Mr Beattie said the Government had allocated $21.3 million over four years to improve alcohol diversion services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
“The upcoming State Budget will include $6 million in recurrent funding and $1.1 million capital funding in 2007–08 as part of the four-year program,” Mr Beattie said.
“The extra funding will improve the existing diversionary services designed to break the alcohol-crime cycle, which is one of the primary causes of Indigenous over-representation in the criminal justice system.
“These services are vital for people who are vulnerable and who, without intervention, are at risk of entering the criminal justice system,” he said.
“The Government continues to work with Indigenous communities to provide treatment programs for people whose alcohol use brings them before the courts.
“The programs are designed to reduce the harm caused by alcohol, especially the disruption alcohol causes to families and children.
“Breaking the alcohol-crime cycle will go a long way to address deep-seated problems in our remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
“This funding will allow Cell Watch programs in diversion centres in Cairns, Mount Isa, Rockhampton and Brisbane to operate 24 hours a day.
“It will also allow these diversion centres to provide programs and services for people from surrounding communities.”
Also included in the program are:
• expanded accommodation and support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through the Jimaylya Topsy Harry Centre in Mount Isa
• expanded youth justice initiatives in the Burdekin area and Rockhampton to divert young people from the criminal justice system and provide mentoring and support for these young people
• more services and hours of operation for the Mackay Cell Watch service
• extra operational funding and capital works for the Reverend Charles Harris diversionary centre in Townsville, ensuring a 24-hour service
• ongoing funding for the Townsville Community Patrol to provide outreach and support services in known hot spots in the Townsville/Thuringowa area
• funding for a community patrol on Palm Island.
“The funding boost will ensure that the existing operations have the capacity to respond to local needs and provide consistent, high-quality, sustainable services,” Mr Beattie said.
ENDS
Media contacts:
Premier’s office: 3224 4500
Deputy Premier & Treasurer’s office: 3224 4379
Communities Minister’s office: 3235 4286