Churches support O’Farrell on drugs

For broadcast on 2CH Sydney, 23 Feb 2014.

The NSW Council of Churches has welcomed the O’Farrell Government’s response to an Inquiry report into drug and alcohol treatment.

In addition to earlier reforms including a new state-wide 10pm closing time for all bottle shops and liquor stores, the Government has supported all recommendations in a recent NSW Legislative Council Inquiry report on drug and alcohol treatment.

Reforms include calling for a stronger national response to the problem of alcohol abuse, and conditional funding of a randomised control trial comparing naltrexone implants with other licensed treatments used to treat opioid dependence.

Council President, the Reverend Dr Ross Clifford, said the Government’s priorities in addressing alcohol abuse would do much to tackle alcohol-related harm in our community.

He said, “These new commitments by the O’Farrell Government … will go a long way to improving the lives of those with substance abuse issues, and their families, and help curb alcohol-related violence,” Dr Clifford said.

I’m Rod Benson for the NSW Council of Churches.