Mr GUNNER - 2011-10-20
The government has introduced comprehensive reforms to tackle the harm that alcohol causes in our community. Can you please update the House on the direction this government is taking to treat people with alcohol problems to help them turn their lives around?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, we are all very well aware how drinkers harm not only themselves, but also their families and the community. Our government is prepared to tackle this problem with programs to radically change the way people behave and to treat the actual cause of the problem.
We have the Enough is Enough reform package delivering $34.3m over five years. We have introduced programs for early intervention with our GP and counselling services; expanded withdrawal treatment under clinical supervision; increased residential rehabilitation beds; and increased follow-up care. This year, $5.2m has been rolled out, with 14 new residential rehabilitation beds in Darwin and 10 additional beds in DASA in Alice Springs. Nineteen additional care workers, counsellors, case managers, and cultural support outreach workers have been employed by NGOs. Ten new mobile case management and intervention teams are in the process of being established with AMSANT, comprising a therapist in Aboriginal alcohol and other drugs, Alcohol and Other Drugs workers, and Aboriginal Health Workers in Alice Springs and Royal Darwin Hospitals, which will be extended to regional hospitals over the coming months. GPs, Aboriginal medical services, and remote health workers have received training in alcohol intervention.
Alcoholism is a terrible problem affecting not only individuals and families, but the whole community. Our government is prepared to tackle the problem. Since 1 July 2011, 29 people have been referred to the SMART Court for alcohol rehabilitation treatment and counselling. Recently, I visited the residential facility in Katherine, and I was very impressed by the level of intervention and the success they had. I know we are not going to treat everyone. Some people will go two, three and four times, but we have to start tackling the problem. We cannot just close our eyes and ignore what we have seen happening around us today. It is affecting us, it will affect us, it will affect our families, and our communities, and it has to stop.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, we are all very well aware how drinkers harm not only themselves, but also their families and the community. Our government is prepared to tackle this problem with programs to radically change the way people behave and to treat the actual cause of the problem.
We have the Enough is Enough reform package delivering $34.3m over five years. We have introduced programs for early intervention with our GP and counselling services; expanded withdrawal treatment under clinical supervision; increased residential rehabilitation beds; and increased follow-up care. This year, $5.2m has been rolled out, with 14 new residential rehabilitation beds in Darwin and 10 additional beds in DASA in Alice Springs. Nineteen additional care workers, counsellors, case managers, and cultural support outreach workers have been employed by NGOs. Ten new mobile case management and intervention teams are in the process of being established with AMSANT, comprising a therapist in Aboriginal alcohol and other drugs, Alcohol and Other Drugs workers, and Aboriginal Health Workers in Alice Springs and Royal Darwin Hospitals, which will be extended to regional hospitals over the coming months. GPs, Aboriginal medical services, and remote health workers have received training in alcohol intervention.
Alcoholism is a terrible problem affecting not only individuals and families, but the whole community. Our government is prepared to tackle the problem. Since 1 July 2011, 29 people have been referred to the SMART Court for alcohol rehabilitation treatment and counselling. Recently, I visited the residential facility in Katherine, and I was very impressed by the level of intervention and the success they had. I know we are not going to treat everyone. Some people will go two, three and four times, but we have to start tackling the problem. We cannot just close our eyes and ignore what we have seen happening around us today. It is affecting us, it will affect us, it will affect our families, and our communities, and it has to stop.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016