Why does Dubbo not have a drug court?
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It's a question that we don't have an answer to.
The Orana Law Society, the Law Society of NSW and even the Senior Judge of the NSW Drug Court are in agreeance that Dubbo should have a drug court.
Judge Dive said expanding the drug court was "a rather obvious need".
Orana Law Society president Andrew Boog said it was a "top priority".
Law Society of NSW president Richard Harvey said it should be an "urgent priority".
But that's not all.
Dubbo Regional Council supports a drug court. It was one of the council's first priorities when the current councillors were elected.
Deputy mayor Stephen Lawrence has reiterate multiple times the need for a drug court to target the causes of crime.
Yet we have nothing.
Not even word on why we have nothing.
This is the response from the NSW government:
"NSW Drug Courts are able to effectively address the causes of drug-related offending, assisting offenders who are drug dependent with rehabilitation.
"The NSW government continually considers court resourcing, including possible regional expansion of the Drug Court program."
That's great, even the government agrees drug courts are able to "effectively address the cause of drug-related offending".
Sounds like a good reason to have as many as possible.
Yet in NSW we have three. And while they may be continually considering the resources. The drug court program hasn't been expanded since 2013.
Are there only 140 people in Parramatta, 40 in central Sydney and 80 in the Hunter who would benefit from a drug court? Because that's how many places there are.
If you live anywhere else, you miss out.
Even if you live in the catchment area for those drug courts, the computerised ballot may not spit your name out.
So, why hasn't the program expanded? Why does Dubbo not have a drug court?