‘No guard rails’: NSW Minister for Health Ryan Park’s vow for drug reform at landmark Drug Summit

One state has moved to tackle a “pervasive” issue at a major health summit, with promises there will be “no guard rails” placed on those trying to address problems with drug reforms.

A major Drug Summit is preparing to deliver their landmark report on how to address drug reform across NSW, with leaders promising there will be “no guard rails” placed on those trying to enact change across the state.

Led by former NSW Liberal leader John Brogden and former Labor deputy premier Carmel Tebbutt, the summit began in Griffith and Lismore in November, with the fourth and final session beginning in Sydney on Thursday.

NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said the report to be produced by Mr Brogden and Ms Tebbutt would not be given any “guard rails”.

“They’ve been given no limitations,” Mr Park said.

“They’ve been given no set agenda. While there are things that we will agree and not agree on — absolutely — that report will be handed to government in a faithful way.

“The government will then, across its portfolios and ministers engage, review and report back, importantly, in a very timely manner.”

Minister for Health Ryan Park has vowed NSW Drug Summit report will have ‘no guard rails’. Picture: NewsWire / Nikki Short

Carmel Tebbutt and John Brogden were appointed to lead the NSW Drug Summit. Picture: NewsWire / Nikki Short

He said the report will be made public, revealing the summit has “challenged” his own ideas.

“It’s challenged my ideas. Each of the days I’ve left … thinking, ‘What have I learned? What have I been challenged? What do I need to think about going forward?’,” Mr Park said.

“And I hope over the next six hours each of you continue in that spirit.

“That is how we truly reform, that is how we truly learn.

“That is how we truly serve the communities and the people of NSW in a way that we’re all passionate about doing in our respective roles.”

He said drug use is an issue that touches the entire community, and one that “seems to invade your entire existence” as a parent “because you see an issue at every corner”.

“The young people yesterday reminded me that for them, they don’t always see drug use like that at all,” he said.

“They don’t always see that through a frame of problem and problematic behaviour. And I say to those young people, thank you for challenging me.”

The final day of the summit kicked off in Sydney on Thursday. Picture: NewsWire/Joel Carrett

Mr Park urged young people to “make sure (their) voice is heard to elected members of parliament” at the summit after speaking with some yesterday.

“Your voice is critical, because in many ways, you are what we are all here for,” he said, thanking them for attending.

He admitted the “issue of drug use (and) misuse” was not foreign to him as a father of two boys.

“It’s something I’m living through every day of the week,” Mr Park said.

“It’s an issue that I find myself regularly discussing in the true spirit as fathers trying to impart knowledge.”

Pill testing is set to be a hot topic at the summit. Picture: Supplied.

He said he comes to the summit not just as a health minister, but as a dad of a teenager.

“So I do have that heavy responsibility of being the health minister, but also that heavy responsibility, trying to do my very, very best for parents and young people out there, navigating a world that was different to mine, but is different for them.”

The NSW government has already committed to $9.3m in funding for drug and alcohol treatment services in the Murrumbidgee region, $21m for drug and alcohol services in northern NSW and $235m for alcohol and drug services across NSW.

Pill testing is tipped to be one of the biggest hot topics at the summit, with the timing just weeks before Victoria will begin its pill testing trial at Beyond the Valley following the success of similar trials in ACT and Queensland.

Originally published as ‘No guard rails’: NSW Minister for Health Ryan Park’s vow for drug reform at landmark Drug Summit