TWO South Australian Senators have called on the Federal Government to disclose information used to make the decision to exclude Limestone Coast-based services from applying for a portion of a $20m drug treatment funding pool.
Centre Alliance Senator Stirling Griff and Labor’s Don Farrell moved a motion in the upper house questioning the methodology used to “lock out” Mount Gambier from accessing the Federal Government funds.
In speaking to the motion, Senator Griff told parliament about the lack of available drug treatment services in Mount Gambier, saying some people were waiting up to a month to see a drug or alcohol counsellor.
He echoed earlier comments made by Labor parliamentarian Clare Scriven, who told State Parliament counselling staff were under-resourced, with some seeing up to seven clients a day.
Mr Griff’s motion followed a senate speech earlier this week by Mr Farrell, who labelled the exclusion of Mount Gambier from the funding as “completely unacceptable”.
Mr Farrell said although Mount Gambier was chosen to host the Federal Government’s first National Ice Taskforce community meeting, it seemed there was now a “lack of support” from the Morrison Government.
“The broader Mount Gambier and Limestone Coast has a population of about 65,000 people,” he said.
“Sadly, there have already been far too many cases in this community of damage done by ice and other drugs.
“The federal funding announced for drug and alcohol treatment services is not open to services in South Australia’s South East.
“That is completely unacceptable, given the issues that have been identified in the region, including through the government’s own ice taskforce community.”
Mr Farrell cited comments made by then Liberal candidate for MacKillop Nick McBride about the scrounge of ice in the region, the toll it was taking on the community and what needed to be done to combat the problem.
He quoted Mr McBride as saying not only does the community need additional preventative measures, but also support services to help those involved in using “ice” to be rehabilitated.
The senior Labor figure fired shots at Federal MP Tony Pasin, claiming he had not stood up for the electorate and instead backed “his buddies inside the Canberra bubble”.
Ms Scriven welcomed the bipartisan support to include Mount Gambier and the greater Limestone Coast as an area of need under the funding guidelines.
In a letter to State Health Minister Stephen Wade, Ms Scriven urged him to demand the region’s service providers be able to apply for the funding.
“In State Parliament, we can call on the minister to lobby the Federal Government to allow the South East to be included in the funding,” she said.
“But it is a federal issue and it is important it is brought up in the Federal Parliament.
“I brought this up with Senator Farrell because it is important the region is included in the funding opportunity.”
Mr Pasin previously said the areas of need were determined following consultation with the Marshall Government, service providers and primary health networks.
Following the funding announcement, Mr Pasin also said the Federal Government had provided drug treatment funding – historically the responsibility of state governments – following the State Government’s failure to deliver the services.
