Petition calls on government to retain Banksia House as regional detox facility

A PARLIAMENTARY petition has been launched calling on the state government to retain Banksia House for the purposes of a regional drug and alcohol detoxification facility.

The call-to-action has been initiated by Samanthan McBean and supported by Member for Tamworth Kevin Anderson.

“This petition from residents of New South Wales draws to the attention of the house (House of Assembly) the significant unmet need for alcohol and other drug detoxification services across rural and regional communities,” the petition reads.

“In the New England North West of NSW, people requiring detoxification and rehabilitation are often required to travel significant distances away from family, carers, and local support networks.

“This is a barrier to accessing timely and effective treatment and can reduce the likelihood of sustained recovery.”

The petition states the people of the North West region are demanding increased access to drug and alcohol detoxification to improve the health, wellbeing, and safety of the community.

Addressing the petition at a media announcement in Tamworth, Ms McBean, of Rosalie House in Tamworth, said the organisation is working on the frontline every day.

“We have people presenting to our service in crisis,” she said.

“We do have a great drug and alcohol health program. Yes, we have outreach services.

“However, we do not have this treatment intervention, that’s needed … of what is a detoxification unit.

“We’re finding people presenting to us and they’re needing immediate detox and treatment, and that’s something unfortunately we’re just not unable to provide.”

Ms McBean said people are having to wait weeks, and travel, to access such services.

The closest detoxification facility is in Armidale.

“However, quite often they’re at capacity,” Ms McBean said.

“So outside of that, we’re looking at Newcastle, Central Coast.

“Also, in addition are the barriers to that, they’re having to travel away from family and the costs involved.”

Rosalie House’s Simon Williams also addressed the announcement and explained he covers the areas of Gunnedah, Quirindi and Werris Creek.

Mr Williams said there is a “huge amount of demand out there in those regional areas”.

“It is a big issue trying to get them to leave our region. It’s a huge cost to them,” he said.

A community advocate also spoke out in support of such a service in the North West, telling media that addiction doesn’t tell the time.

“So a lot of the times we need these support services … Rosalie House is shut, support services are shut,” he said.

“There is nowhere to go … emergency can’t handle it.

“If we want to go and get help, sometimes we’re waiting 12 weeks or more to be able to get that help.

“A lot can happen in 12 weeks when you’re in addicton. It is so needed.”

Mr Anderson said the community knew the Banksia House building was becoming vacant and did not want to see this building lost.

“So we started this push a couple of years ago,” he said.

“The time is now, and we want the government to come to the table and talk to the community about what we can do to provide those services.”

The petition is available to sign online on the NSW Parliament website under the parliamentary business section and then in petititons.