Ice crisis: NSW to spend ‘hundreds of millions’ on rehabilitation of addicts

Drug rehabilitation services will be dramatically expanded with the state government ready to commit “hundreds of millions” of dollars to tackle the ice epidemic.

Drug rehabilitation services will be dramatically expanded across the bush, with the state government to commit “hundreds of millions” of dollars to tackle the ice scourge.

While the sticking point among rival Liberal factions and the Nationals has been the criminal justice response, individual parties were on Friday closer to agreeing on a position than they have been in months.

“(Premier) Dom (Perrottet) is determined to land this, and we are very close,” one minister said.

Among the elements the rival factions have agreed upon is the need to dramatically improve access to rehabilitation for all drug users, with a senior government source declaring “hundreds of millions” would be committed to an expansion of services.

It is understood such a commitment might mean the more problematic area of criminal justice reform might be put on hold until such services are in place to deal with mandated or recommended treatment.

‘Hundreds of millions’ are to be set aside to tackle the ice crisis. Picture: Gary Ramage

The Saturday Telegraph can reveal the government has been looking closely at residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs running out of centres such as The Buttery, in northern NSW.

Its offerings include a three or seven-and-a-half-month program of group therapy, counselling, education and activities to promote recovery and tackle stress.

Once a program is completed, participants undertake a six-week transition phase focusing on relapse-prevention strategies with as much as a year of “after care” available.

The questions yet to be answered are: At what point is someone caught with ice ordered to undergo rehabilitation – and who pays?

Ministers have also been in unison over the need to step up the response to drug dealing, with laws to confiscate unexplained wealth from criminal gangs to be introduced into state parliament.

However, cabinet has been split over the reform of criminal justice laws for ice users.

While the inquiry was critical of the criminalisation of drug users, a plan to divert drug offenders from the court system by handing out infringement notices the first three times a user is caught failed to win cabinet support.

Drug rehabilitation services will be dramatically expanded across the bush. Picture: Gary Ramage

A separate proposal for mandated and state-sponsored treatment funded by the proceeds obtained once the unexplained wealth laws are active was also rejected.

NSW Attorney-General Mark Speakman – who has been pushing for a more health-based approach with Health Minister Brad Hazzard – has since called for a diversion scheme to give ice users as many as two $400 fines before facing court, with infringements waived if they undertake a health intervention.

One minister suggested the government may decide to put the criminal justice element on hold until such time as there are adequate rehabilitation services across the state.

Regional MPs say there are many towns where rehabilitation services are five or more hours away.

Originally published as Ice crisis: NSW to spend ‘hundreds of millions’ on rehabilitation of addicts