I am pleased to announce that the Federal Government will be providing $250,000 for a women’s drug treatment and support programme in Townsville to be run by the Salvation Army. The new initiative is part of the Government’s Tough on Drugs strategy.
The Townsville Women’s Programme will provide counselling, education, referral and support services, and will have an early intervention focus, aiming to help women of all ages to address drug use at an early stage. In addition, the Salvation Army will provide child-care services, allowing mothers access to treatment and support.
Importantly, this new programme will meet a need for women’s treatment services that has been identified by the local community.
The Salvation Army Women’s Programme typifies the partnership approach to tackling social problems such as drug use, that is the basis of the Federal Government’s social coalition.
The social coalition involves a partnership between welfare and community organisations, individuals, business, local communities and government. Through this partnership we are providing additional resources. Under the Tough on Drugs strategy, the Federal Government has allocated more than $500 million throughout Australia.
The social coalition also involves seeking the advice and expertise of community organisations and representatives. Day after day they are working to help and support people in need of assistance, and their experience and knowledge is provided to the Government through the Australian National Council on Drugs and its Chairman Major Brian Watters.
Furthermore, under the partnership approach, the emphasis is on community driven responses, whether in regional and rural areas or in the cities.
The result is that local communities identify needs, community and welfare organisations provide expert advice on how best to address problems and deliver the services on the ground, and the government provides the resources.
The Salvation Army Women’s Programme in Townsville is exactly the kind of initiative we want to see put in place in local communities as a result of this partnership approach. It will provide ongoing practical assistance where it is most needed.
17 May 2000