During a visit to Ballarat Police Station on Friday, Police and Corrections Minister Wade Noonan told drug and alcohol services workers and police he recognised the crippling impact ice was inflicting on Ballarat. 

He said to date there had been a “void” in getting the support and services needed to combat the epidemic to assist drug users and those who support them. 

“We recognise there is a significant problem in regional and rural Victoria,” Mr Noonan said.

“The concerns are that this drug has got away from us, it’s a very big problem and the effects of this drug are devastating communities.” 

Under the plan, $18 million will be spent to expand rehabilitation for ice users with a focus on regional Victoria, in areas that have been overwhelmed by the highly-addictive drug.

Mr Noonan said another $4.7 million would be injected into helping families to identify and manage ice users.

He said families often bore the brunt of the crisis and were critical to supporting drug users in their household. 

“This is a very important area and an area it cannot wait,” Mr Noonan said. “That funding will assist more than a thousand families across Victoria but a big emphasis, again, will be placed on families in regional and rural Victoria.” 

A further $1 million will be invested in frontline workers, including police and paramedics, who are at risk of being attacked by drug users while at work. 

While funding for existing services in Ballarat was yet to be determined, Mr Noonan said pressure increased on these support services daily. 

“We are very keen to roll out this funding to existing services and to services who can provide the sorts of assistance for users that may not be there at the moment,” Mr Noonan said.

There will also be $4.5 million for Victoria Police to expand its forensic team to track down clandestine drug labs and the sale of chemicals used to make it.

“The government does not make any apology for attacking the supply element of this drug,” Mr Noonan said.

“We do that by funding additional resources to Victoria Police so they can target these clandestine labs, examine equipment, look at the drug in detail and bring the evidence before the court to hold these pushers to account.”

Mr Noonan added that the $15 million allocated for drug and booze buses would be particularly focused on monitoring the state’s country roads.

He said the state government accepted that over the next four years, budgets must provide additional funding for residential rehabilitation and support services.

“This is very much a start of the process,” Mr Noonan said.

melissa.cunningham@fairfaxmedia.com.au