Thursday, 29 August 2024

 Jade BENHAM (Mildura) (17:12): (813) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Mental Health in the other place, and the action I seek is for the minister to visit the community of Merbein to facilitate some community forums around the announced alcohol and other drugs (AOD) rehabilitation facility. A couple of weeks ago the minister was in Merbein to announce the location for this facility. This policy was part of the 2018 election that the member for Lowan had presented in those documents that I have sat with and read through over and over. The location, like I said, was announced at the site of the old Merbein West school a couple of weeks ago. Although it is very well recognised that this facility is needed in the community, the location needs to be community-led. But we know that this is a very positive thing for the Mildura region and the outlying regions as well.

There has been some concern from the community that not much community consultation has taken place. There has been and still is very little information available as to the appearance of the facility, the security measures, the services that will be provided and also the infrastructure surrounding that site. Given that the school buildings themselves were removed many years ago, there is no public transport out to the site, there are no footpaths around the site and it is hard to connect it to the town centre of Merbein. So the community has asked me to seek some community forums and some assistance from the minister or the department. My office of course is more than happy to facilitate these sessions to engage the community of Merbein in informing them of what this means for their community.

Of course, we know the broader benefits that an AOD rehabilitation facility can have on those needing treatment, but the community of Merbein obviously would like to be informed as well, and they have asked me on their behalf to invite the minister to facilitate some community information forums so they can get a greater understanding of exactly what this means for their community.