Tackling the scourge of ice
The Coalition Government is delivering on its strategy to tackle the scourge of ice in our communities, and I’m pleased to announce another four Local Drug Action Teams (LDATs) will be established across the Parkes electorate.
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These LDATs are Kirkala-Pithiluku Aboriginal Corporation at Broken Hill, Moree Local Drug Action Team, Walgett Aboriginal Medical Service, and a Centacare New England North West LDAT.
It’s important that we work together to empower and educate communities, in order to prevent and reduce the harms of alcohol and other drugs in the community, including ice.
The LDATs will receive an initial $10,000 in funding to help develop local Community Action Plans.
Those groups can then apply for additional funding to help deliver targeted, local projects, with support from the Alcohol and Drug Foundation.
The teams will deliver local health prevention activities, including education, mentoring and support for vulnerable people to minimise their risk of alcohol and other drug related harms.
The Coalition is investing $298 million over four years to combat drug and alcohol misuse across Australia under the National Ice Action Strategy.
LDATs across the Parkes electorate will be important for the strength, health and well-being of our communities now and into the future.
Regional communities are often the hardest hit when it comes to ice abuse and addiction. It is important that we provide communities with the right tools, resources and support to drive change at a local level. Visit www.adf.org.au/ldat.
Leading the dementia fight
There are a series of potentially world-leading Australian projects now underway to combat dementia. These have been highlighted in a progress report on the Coalition Government’s $200 million Boosting Dementia Research Initiative.
Three years into the five-year initiative, there are major milestones being achieved on the road to dementia prevention, management and cures. The Initiative supports 127 projects involving 285 researchers, working across 24 universities and research institutions.
I’m pleased that Australia is now a world leader in many aspects of dementia research. Dementia is the second most common cause of death in this country and for women it has eclipsed heart disease to become the leading cause.
Already, it is estimated 425,000 Australians are living with the condition, with around 1,700 people believed to be developing dementia each week. It is critical we find effective preventions and cures.
Dementia particularly affects people as they age, with three in ten people over the age of 85 and almost one in ten people over 65 having the condition.
This investment will foster further development of technological solutions to help people living with dementia, as well as their families and carers.
Dementia-focused care technology is in its infancy and there is much untapped potential for it to be developed to help people with the condition to live at home for longer. Visit https://www.nnidr.gov.au/.
Boosting regional mobile phone coverage
Announcing that the Federal Government will invest in addressing more mobile service black spots across the region. The Coalition is committing $25 million for a fourth round of the Mobile Black Spot Program, which will boost mobile phone coverage within regional and remote communities.
The program is on track to deliver 867 base stations nationwide by June 2019. The competitive selection process for round four of the program is expected to commence in the second half of 2018. Visit www.communications.gov.au/mbsp