The lack of detail in the Drug Summit announced recently by Premier Chris Minns has been questioned by Joe Coyte, the executive director of Central Coast alcohol and drug rehabilitation centres, The Glen for Men and Women.
Minns announced the Summit would comprise two days of regional forums in October and two days in Sydney in December.
While the dates of the Sydney forums have been announced, no dates are available for the regional forums.
“We need to know where, when and who will be invited to these regional forums,” Coyte said.
“Who’s going?
“What experts, community, Indigenous or LGBTQ representatives will be there?
“The community needs to know who will be involved to make sure it has the best chance of having an impact and ensuring changes that need to happen actually happen.
“People with lived experience and the families whose lives have been impacted need to be included in the conversation.
“It is important to hear from those people, those whose own lives have been impacted and those watching their loved ones suffer.”
Coyte said all NSW parliamentarians should attend the forums, including all NSW ministers.
“We need all the ministers to be there, especially those connected with housing, health and police.” he said.
“The housing crisis and the cost-of-living crisis all have massive impacts on this issue.”
Coyte said problematic drug use continued to be rife in the community and The Glen centres had been forced to close applications periodically, unable to keep up with demand.
“But once people are in the program and complete the program, we can’t transition them out to suitable housing because of the housing crisis,” he said.
“What should the two-day regional forum be looking at?
“Drug usage and treatment are two complicated spaces.
“We need to look at what is working and how to improve those things that are working.”
Coyte said he understood the government was fulfilling an election promise by announcing the Drug Summit but questioned the intention.
“Why don’t we have a date for the regional forums and Sydney does?” he said.
“It’s important these forums have the right people in the room.”
A spokesperson for Health Minister Ryan Park said details would be announced in due course on the regional locations for the Drug Summit.