Dubbo drug rehab facility: Potential locations kept secret

Potential locations for a proposed new drug rehabilitation facility, which has been labelled a ‘sensitive issue’, have been identified in Dubbo.

A Salvation Army drug rehab facility in Townsville, smiliar to one that could be built in Dubbo.

Multiple sites for a proposed drug rehabilitation facility in Dubbo have been identified, however the state government and local council won’t reveal where they are.

The government allocated $7.5 million towards construction of the facility last month after years of campaigning from community members.

Last year, the federal government agreed to chip in $3 million towards the build and Dubbo Regional Council has offered land free of charge.

Dubbo MP Dugald Saunders. Picture: Facebook

Dubbo Regional Council's liveability director Skye Price. Picture: Dubbo Regional Council

Dubbo MP Dugald Saunders said council’s offer might not need to be taken up.

“There are currently a couple of sites that are being considered … I can’t really say too much about what they are or how they look at the moment,” he said.

“Council had obviously offered a number of sites, none of them are currently being looked at. They may be looked at if the ones that are being looked at can’t happen for whatever reason.

“If the government already has land, or available properties that are suitable then there’s no need to partner.”

Mr Saunders said the location of the facility was a sensitive issue.

“As we’ve seen before, with programs like early release programs from prison where people are assimilated back into the community, people are very aware and will be very aware of where a drug rehab or detox or whatever the facility is, is located.

“So while everyone puts their hand up and says ‘yes we need rehab’, it’s ‘as long as it’s not next door to me’.”

The facility needed to be close enough to town but “far enough away”, Mr Saunders said.

“The process will essentially be led by NSW Health, but I have also bought on board the Department of Regional NSW to oversee the project and make sure that everyone is looked after in the best possible way.

Parkes MP and Regional Health Minister Mark Coulton with Dubbo Mayor Ben Shields celebrating federal funding of the rehab facility. Picture: Facebook

“My thing’s always been ‘don’t just build something and hope it works’. Design it properly, build it for the purpose and whether detox happens there or not, is still to be decided.”

Bed numbers and a final site location were expected to be confirmed early next year and the facility would hopefully be up and running before the next state election in March 2023, Mr Saunders said.

“At the end of the day though, it may be that we subcontract out some of the delivery of the services, which again is how it often happens,” he said.

“We’re not just going to talk about this for another 12 months, we need to actually get some action happening.”

Dubbo Regional Council’s liveability director Skye Price said council found six potential parcels of land which were deemed suitable for a rehab facility.

“These parcels of land will be presented to the NSW Government for consideration before being made public,” she said.

“Comprehensive community consultation will then be undertaken once a preferred location has been chosen, in collaboration with the NSW Government.”