GLENN STERLE

LABOR SENATOR FOR WESTERN AUSTRALIA

SENATOR FOR HASLUCK

ABBOTT GOVERNMENT MUST GUARANTEE FUNDING FOR ILLICIT DRUG TREATMENT SERVICES

Senator for Hasluck Glenn Sterle has called on Tony Abbott to reverse cuts to illicit drug treatment and rehabilitation organisations and support services.

The Abbott Government has made a number of promises about tackling the nation’s crystal methamphetamine (or “ice”) epidemic. Labor has welcomed the launch of a National Ice Taskforce and $20 million for a “National Drugs Campaign’, which includes a graphic TV ad campaign warning of the dangers of ice.

But Senator Sterle said that short-sighted Budget cuts to Health Flexible Funds will see millions of dollars ripped away from the Substance Misuse Prevention and Service Improvement Grants Fund and the Substance Misuse Service Delivery Grants Fund.

This is the height of hypocrisy. The Abbott Government talks about tackling the ice epidemic while cutting funding to hard working organisations on the frontline.

Last year’s Budget ripped $197 million out of Health Flexible Funds, but that was only the beginning. In this year’s Budget Joe Hockey announced that a further $596 million would be axed from these programs over the next four years.

The Government needs to reverse these cuts to show that it is serious about combating illicit drug use, including ice addiction.

The cuts have left Perth Central & EastMetro Medicare Local Ltd located in Guildford and the Swan City Youth Service Inc in Midland facing an uncertain future, unable to make decisions on staff recruitment, investment and planning. They will not be able to meet extra demand for services and will have to turn away people seeking help.

Tony Abbott has broken yet another promise. At the same time that he is supposedly acting to stem the use of ice in communities, he is busy ripping away money from organisations that deliver real results.