Drug reform is finally on the NSW agenda and the NSW Drug Summit will be held for a day in Lismore on Monday, November 4. It will also be held for a day in Griffith on November 1 and for two days in Sydney on December 4 and 5.
Australians have been pushing for a change in policy from both state and federal governments as they have seen the devastating impacts of the misguided ‘war on drugs’ approach over generations. In 2020 a national study by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare revealed that Australians wanted to see a health and safety approach to tackling drug problems instead of locking people up. This approach was in line with the recommendations of the NSW special commission of inquiry into crystal methamphetamine and other amphetamine-type stimulants, or ice released in February 2020. The 14-month enquiry, chaired by Special Commissioner Dan Howard, SC, recommended ‘that the government needs to introduce a system of decriminalisation if it is going to stop drug deaths in New South Wales’.
During the last state election NSW Labor promised that they would hold a drug summit but it has taken years for them to finally get the ball rolling while in the mean time Queensland has stepped forward providing pill testing for festivals or fixed locations, including at health services.
‘An overwhelming majority of voters don’t support criminal sanctions against people who are found with a small amount of drugs and they don’t support fining them either. Instead, voters want to see a more compassionate, health and evidence-based approach to drug use and possession – they prefer a referral to drug education or treatment, a warning, or no action at all,’ Uniting NSW.ACT’s General Manager of Advocacy & External Relations Emma Maiden told The Echo.
‘Criminalising people for possessing small quantities of drugs is not only unfair and harmful, it’s also unpopular. Our current laws perpetuate harm and stigma, which deter people from seeking treatment and support. A criminal record can also have a detrimental effect on someone’s ability to secure a job or home. This increases the long-term strain and costs on our public health and judicial systems.’
Thousands of voters across five key metropolitan and regional NSW electorates: Kogarah, Bankstown, Penrith, Lismore, Tamworth were surveyed as part of new uComms polling that showed 66 per cent of voters in key NSW seats support a health and welfare response to minor drug possession.
‘These polling results must be taken into account for the upcoming Drug Summit. It’s been 25 years between summits – since then we’ve seen strong evidence that favours health and welfare responses to drug possession, and growing support from the electorate for these changes,’ said Ms Maiden.
‘We’ve also seen other states and territories across the country, including the ACT and Queensland, adopt sensible and evidence-based laws and policies. NSW continues to lag behind. We’re calling on the government to not take anything off the table for the upcoming Drug Summit.’
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
