Catherine King

Catherine King

CATHERINE KING MP
Federal Member Ballarat
Minister Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development & Local Government

T (03) 5338 8123
Email: Catherine.King.MP@aph.gov.au

Catherine King MP
Electorate Office: 5 Lydiard Street North, Ballarat, VIC 3350

Open in Google Maps
  • ABOUT
  • BALLARAT
  • MEDIA
    • LOCAL MEDIA
    • NATIONAL MEDIA
  • POLICY
  • CONTACT US
Wednesday, 27 September 2017 / Published in MEDIA, NATIONAL MEDIA

HIGHEST NUMBER OF DRUG DEATHS IN TWENTY YEARS DEMANDS MORE TREATMENT OPTIONS

HIGHEST NUMBER OF DRUG DEATHS IN TWENTY YEARS DEMANDS MORE TREATMENT OPTIONS

The Turnbull Government must urgently invest in drug and alcohol treatment services, after data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics revealed Australia recorded the highest number of drug deaths in twenty years.

One in five drug deaths had a psychostimulant present in 2016 – including ice, speed and ecstasy. Of particular note is the fact that meth/amphetamines are nearly five times as likely to be present in a drug induced death as they were in 1999.

In addition, opioids – both in the form of illicit drugs and in prescription medicines – continue to be a significant issue and a leading cause of drug induced death.

We can’t help people with addiction problems if they have nowhere to go. Drug and alcohol treatment services are overstretched and struggling to keep up with demand – and as a result many services are being forced to close their waiting lists and turn people away.

That’s why the Government must do more and invest in rehabilitation. Under the Government’s National Ice Strategy, only six of 31 Primary Health Networks across Australia have commissioned residential rehabilitation services.

These statistics should be a wakeup call to the Government. They need to ensure everyone with addiction problems has the right treatment option available, instead of being turned away from overburdened and overstretched services.

Tagged under: 2017

What you can read next

AIHW REPORT TORPDOES ABBOTTS GP TAX
LABOR WILL GIVE LEUKAEMIA PATIENTS NEW HOPE
LEY CONFIRMS HEALTH POLICY COLLAPSE

FILTER BY TYPE:

  • MEDIA
    • LOCAL MEDIA
    • NATIONAL MEDIA

FILTER BY YEAR:

2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

© Catherine King. Authorised by Catherine King, Australian Labor Party, Canberra

Noise Birds

TOP