Moorabool Shire Council is teaming up with local healthcare providers, police and other levels of government to play its role in tackling the problem of ice use in Moorabool.
“This is a very serious and complex issue in our Shire that needs to be dealt with in the open – not with a closed mentality and pretending the drug culture doesn’t exist,” Mayor Councillor Paul Tatchell said.
“Our community services department and the Community Leadership Program which is facilitated by Council, are already working proactively with the State Government, local police, Djerriwarrh Health Services and local service providers on this issue.”
The Moorabool Community Leadership Program and Bacchus Marsh police are in the process of forming a drug action group and will host a drug awareness forum on May 28 titled ‘A Way Forward’.
The drug action group has also set a meeting in June to establish itself formally as a group and feed into the Central Highlands Drug Action Taskforce.
Cr Tatchell said frontline workers at Council had seen an increased prevalence of ice use in the community: cases such as MCH nurses working with families that are impacted by ice use and Aged Service clients that are caring for a grandchild whose parent or parents have an ice addiction.
“This is not something we can ignore and we need to do all we can to support the Federal Government’s National ice Action Strategy and the State Government’s ice Action Plan.
“We want to assure the community we know there is a problem and we play a role in trying to overcome the problem.
“Council’s involvement in this fight involves education, research, referrals and advocacy and we will do what we can to help those who need it, no matter how they are affected by this insidious drug.”
