A drug reform organisation which convinced the state government to build better treatment services in Dubbo has targeted Tamworth for a major new campaign, which kicks off this week.
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Social Justice Leader at Uniting Church Alice Salomon said the church's Fair Treatment campaign wants to help organise a local-led campaign that might include doorknocking, stalls and awareness-raising in the city.
The Fair Treatment campaign won a commitment for a new drug and alcohol rehabilitation service in Dubbo last year.
Members of the campaign group will visit Tamworth to hold an early planning session this week.
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Ms Salomon said it was the community of Tamworth that went to Fair Treatment looking to replicate the success of Dubbo rather than the other way around.
"Tamworth has a definite need," she said.
"But it's actually because the community came and asked us to be involved. There's energy within Tamworth for change. We want to help and support people through that."
Fair Treatment visited Tamworth in June to gauge support.
Organisers have since held meetings with hundreds of local groups and community and political leaders.
The group is returning to town on Tuesday and will hold a meeting on Wednesday.
Ms Salomon said the idea was to identify two things: what people want and then how to get it. Both will be up to the people on Tamworth.
A drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre could be one option, but simply better GP services could also be an ask, she said.
Fair Treatment supports the decriminalisation of all drugs.
"If you decriminalise what you're saying instead is we want to treat people who are using drugs and experiencing drug dependency under the health system rather than the criminal system," Ms Salomon said.
"That means that you have to have increased access to treatment."
Tamworth has form on the success of direct campaigning.
The Tamworth Mental Health Carers Group convinced the state government to spend tens of millions of dollars on a new Banksia Mental Health Unit in 2019.
The planning session will take place on Wednesday night from 5.45pm at the Southside Uniting Church.
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Andrew Messenger
Politics, environment and energy journalist at the Northern Daily Leader. I also write about health, bushfires and occasionally music. I'm a Brisbane boy by way of Charleville and Hobart who now lives in in beautiful New England. Get me at andrew.messenger@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Politics, environment and energy journalist at the Northern Daily Leader. I also write about health, bushfires and occasionally music. I'm a Brisbane boy by way of Charleville and Hobart who now lives in in beautiful New England. Get me at andrew.messenger@austcommunitymedia.com.au
