Palaszczuk Government finalising action plan to tackle Ice

The Palaszczuk Government is finalising an action plan to tackle Ice, following state-wide input to a comprehensive action plan the Government released for public comment last year.

Launched at Ice Regional Community Engagement Summit in Rockhampton in April last year followed by roundtables and forums across the State, the draft plan includes 65 actions.

This has been a thorough consultation bringing together experts and those working on the frontline, and most significantly, those living with ice as users or their family or loved ones. In the preparation of the plan and in its consultation, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk met with many families and individuals impacted by ice.

General themes that emerged from the summit, roundtables and written submissions, and have informed the finalisation of the Action on Ice plan, include:

• improved community awareness on the symptoms and impacts of Ice use; and a reliable and trusted information source on how to support people affected by Ice and other substances, and how and where to access help
• enhanced access to, and increased funding for, effective, flexible and culturally appropriate treatment, recovery and support services for individuals and families
• changes to the criminal justice system, including the decriminalisation of Ice use, tougher penalties for Ice suppliers, and diversion options for persons charged with Ice-related offences
• greater need for the availability and accessibility of culturally appropriate responses.

Community input focussed on how existing actions can be better implemented in regional and rural areas of the State, explored potential gaps in service delivery and recommended how those gaps can be addressed.

The LNP was invited to the launch of plan and the Summit, and the then Shadow Minister for Health John-Paul Langbroek attended. The LNP did not provide a submission on the draft action plan.

The final plan will include implementation arrangements for the Government’s election commitment to provide $14.3 million over three years for a 42-bed residential drug rehabilitation and treatment facility in Rockhampton.

Link to the “Action on ice: The Queensland Government’s draft plan to address use and harm caused by crystal methamphetamine” https://www.premiers.qld.gov.au/assets/action-on-ice.pdf

The plan aims to complement the National Ice Strategy.

The Palaszczuk Government has made an unprecedented commitment to tackling ice including the allocation of an extra $43 million over the next five years to increase access to specialist clinics and other support services by the non-government sector.

These additional funds will be invested across the full spectrum of responses, including community-based counselling, non-residential rehabilitation, pre-and post-treatment support such as withdrawal management in residential rehabilitation, specialist peer support for families and flexible modes for counselling,” she said.

Media contact: Kirby Anderson 0417 263 791