Thursday, 18 March 2021

Addiction services

Mr EDBROOKE (Frankston) (09:59): Alarmingly, one in five Australians will grapple with addiction in their lifetime, with an estimated 500 000 Australians unable to access the help they need to overcome addiction because the services are either not available or unaffordable or the waiting lists are too long. I am incredibly proud that the Andrews Labor government has more than doubled the number of residential rehabilitation beds, and it will continue to work hard to address the shortfall, particularly in light of the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System. This is an issue that affects everyone. It is one that I am particularly passionate about, and that is why I am supporting an innovative partnership opportunity being proposed by the Victorian branch of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union and the Health and Community Services Union.

In collaboration with not-for-profits and service providers, these unions are working towards offering specialist drug, alcohol and gambling services for working Victorians, modelled on the successful Foundation House service in New South Wales. As well as being financially responsible, with every dollar invested in this sector saving the community the equivalent of $7, this model will allow Victorians to receive life-changing retreatment, retain connection to their employment and help to provide industry-specific support to help with the cycle of addiction. As former Foundation House graduate Sally says, ‘I owe my life to Foundation House’, and Sally’s kids also say, ‘Thank you, Foundation House, for giving us our mummy back’. We need innovative, sophisticated, out-of-the-box answers to complex issues such as addiction, and I believe that this is a great opportunity to save careers, to save families and to save lives.