Member for Burnett Stephen Bennett has spoken of the illicit drug challenges facing Bundaberg and surrounding communities at a national conference today.
Speaking at the IWC 2017 National Indigenous Drug and Alcohol Misuse Conference in Brisbane, Mr Bennett said illicit drug and alcohol issues were not confined to remote and isolated areas.
“This insidious drug is taking a grip on the nation and my hometown, Bundaberg, and its surrounding region is no exception,” Mr Bennett said.
Mr Bennett spoke of his former social housing work on Thursday Island prior to entering politics, and the firsthand insight it provided into the significant health challenges that confront Indigenous communities.
“When I lived and worked on Thursday Island to build critical infrastructure including a new hospital, housing and new stores, it brought home the reality of the significant issues that confront us, particularly in Indigenous communities,” he said.
“Clearly we have a lot to do to ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experience the same excellent levels of health and wellbeing support as other fellow Australians.
“What is evident is that our challenges are not confined to remote and isolated areas of our state and in my own community, our growing ice epidemic and the devastating impact it is having on our communities is extremely concerning.”
Mr Bennett commended the IWC for taking a lead on the issue.
“It’s important to treat illicit drugs and alcohol misuse as a significant health issue which needs a community, collaborative approach focusing on prevention and treatment. The IWC has been instrumental in this process. ” he said.
“The IWC is leading the way towards providing our community the voice we need to ultimately improve services and treatment for drug and alcohol misuse.
“I commend the IWC for starting this honest conversation and taking these critical steps in the best interest of our communities.”
ENDS.
Wednesday, August 23, 2017