Government services will support Woorabinda going dry from July 1
Published Monday, 16 June, 2008 at 05:34 PM
Minister for Communities, Disability Services, ATSIP, Multicultural Affairs, Seniors and Youth
The Honourable Lindy Nelson-Carr
Additional services and support are already in train to help the central Queensland community of Woorabinda go dry from July 1, Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, Lindy Nelson-Carr said today.
Ms Nelson-Carr said the Bligh Government welcomed Woorabinda’s decision to go dry earlier this year and was committed to putting supports and services in place to help the community transition.
“We have been working hard with the community to get the right support services in place. Across the State we have backed this with an allocation of $65 million over four years, with $36 million coming from the Commonwealth,” Ms Nelson-Carr said.
Ms Nelson-Carr said claims by the Leader of the Opposition that adequate services would not be in place before 1 July 2008 were incorrect.
“There is a small minority of people in Woorabinda who are resisting the dry community move, but overall the community realise the benefits this will have for the health, safety and future of all residents.
“Some people are out to oppose and hijack the move and I have no doubt that Mr Springborg is playing into their agenda by parroting their claims.”
Ms Nelson-Carr said from 1 July 2008 the following services will be or were already in place:
- There will be three additional Police Officers in Woorabinda from 1 July 2008 to make sure the dry restrictions are enforced properly.
- Licence restrictions have already been imposed on surrounding hotels such as Duaringa, Dingo, Bluff and Blackwater and 21 hotels in Rockhampton. This includes restrictions on cask wines sales in some places; and will require monitoring of takeaway sales to minimise sly grogging and track any sly grog entering the community.
- The Queensland Indigenous Alcohol Diversion Program is already up and running in Rockhampton. It will offer diversion to treatment and rehab to persons who come in contact with the criminal justice system on alcohol-related offences.
- There will be an alcohol treatment resource centre in Woorabinda funded by Queensland Health and the federal government. It will be partly operational from 1 July, fully operational as soon as possible thereafter. This will involve 7 staff of Queensland Health and an additional four positions being recruited by the federal government.
- Ward 5 of the Woorabinda Health Service will be dedicated to alcohol and drug detoxification and rehabilitation from 1 July. With an additional nurse, it’s expected it will handle 6-8 people per month.
- Interim residential based rehabilitation will be offered from 1 July, 4 beds in the Woorabinda guest house are set to handle this. By January 2009, there will be a 10-12 bed purpose built facility in place.
- An interim ‘sobering up’ facility (like ’Cell Watch’) will be run out of the Woorabinda Health facility from August 2008, with a full service from October 2008.
- From September, we are expecting that a government ’hub’ in Woorabinda will offer a community presence and services for Child Safety, community correction and youth justice officers. Agreement has been reached with Council and construction has commenced on this facility.
Ms Nelson-Carr congratulated the community and Woorabinda elders for their commitment to going dry and working with the state government to implement the reforms.
Media contact: 3235 4280
Ms Nelson-Carr said the Bligh Government welcomed Woorabinda’s decision to go dry earlier this year and was committed to putting supports and services in place to help the community transition.
“We have been working hard with the community to get the right support services in place. Across the State we have backed this with an allocation of $65 million over four years, with $36 million coming from the Commonwealth,” Ms Nelson-Carr said.
Ms Nelson-Carr said claims by the Leader of the Opposition that adequate services would not be in place before 1 July 2008 were incorrect.
“There is a small minority of people in Woorabinda who are resisting the dry community move, but overall the community realise the benefits this will have for the health, safety and future of all residents.
“Some people are out to oppose and hijack the move and I have no doubt that Mr Springborg is playing into their agenda by parroting their claims.”
Ms Nelson-Carr said from 1 July 2008 the following services will be or were already in place:
- There will be three additional Police Officers in Woorabinda from 1 July 2008 to make sure the dry restrictions are enforced properly.
- Licence restrictions have already been imposed on surrounding hotels such as Duaringa, Dingo, Bluff and Blackwater and 21 hotels in Rockhampton. This includes restrictions on cask wines sales in some places; and will require monitoring of takeaway sales to minimise sly grogging and track any sly grog entering the community.
- The Queensland Indigenous Alcohol Diversion Program is already up and running in Rockhampton. It will offer diversion to treatment and rehab to persons who come in contact with the criminal justice system on alcohol-related offences.
- There will be an alcohol treatment resource centre in Woorabinda funded by Queensland Health and the federal government. It will be partly operational from 1 July, fully operational as soon as possible thereafter. This will involve 7 staff of Queensland Health and an additional four positions being recruited by the federal government.
- Ward 5 of the Woorabinda Health Service will be dedicated to alcohol and drug detoxification and rehabilitation from 1 July. With an additional nurse, it’s expected it will handle 6-8 people per month.
- Interim residential based rehabilitation will be offered from 1 July, 4 beds in the Woorabinda guest house are set to handle this. By January 2009, there will be a 10-12 bed purpose built facility in place.
- An interim ‘sobering up’ facility (like ’Cell Watch’) will be run out of the Woorabinda Health facility from August 2008, with a full service from October 2008.
- From September, we are expecting that a government ’hub’ in Woorabinda will offer a community presence and services for Child Safety, community correction and youth justice officers. Agreement has been reached with Council and construction has commenced on this facility.
Ms Nelson-Carr congratulated the community and Woorabinda elders for their commitment to going dry and working with the state government to implement the reforms.
Media contact: 3235 4280