The Coonamble community has taken the right approach to beating the drug and alcohol problems facing the town.
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Fighting the drug ice is a high priority in a town that has been a victim of increased methamphetamine and alcohol use and an inevitable spike in drug-related crime.
The town, the shire and their people are already battling the devastation of the on-going four-year drought.
They have shown admirable determination to beat the "dry". They will show the same grit in tackling a serious social problem.
Residents and service providers will be meeting today to find local solutions to the issue. Efforts will be community driven. Decisions will be based on earlier consultations with the community and consultations with numerous organisations.
There is an impressive array of allies for the fight: Mission Australia, Muurdi Paaki Regional Enterprise Corporation, UnitingCare NSW/ACT, the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, Coonamble Aboriginal Health Service, the shire council, local police and the NSW Department of Family and Community Services. And the people.
They say they will now put words into actions. They will be creating a framework to ensure their efforts will be more successful than earlier measures.
Ideas and plans will be tested. No rushing in ? No Band-Aid solutions.
The battle may be long, but it is winnable.
Coonamble should be congratulated for its "whole community" approach, which could be a template for other towns battling the ice epidemic.