Vic govt announces expert ice task force

The Victorian government has established a special taskforce to tackle the drug ice.

ice.jpg

The Victorian Government has announced a new task-force to tackle what some are calling an ice epidemic.

Youth workers, police, drug counsellors and the Salvation Army will be represented on a Victorian task force convened to tackle the state's ice problem.

The 16-person body, announced on Monday, has been established to develop a plan for an ice intervention.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said the state was in the grips of a crisis and there needed to be a whole response to the "evil and deadly" drug.

Laws need to be strengthened and police need to be better resourced, he said.

"In some respects this has got away from us," Mr Andrews said on Monday.

The group will be chaired by the premier and will examine ways to reduce the demand, supply and harm of the drug.

Police Minister Wade Noonan said regional communities had been dealing with the problem and would play an important role in the development of the plan.

"Communities across regional Victoria have come together to confront this epidemic and get young people back on track, and we'll listen to them," Mr Noonan said.

The expert panel will deliver a plan by March 15 next year.

Mr Andrews said ice is a drug that ruins lives, and ends lives.

"Its addictive qualities changes people forever. It ruins families. It's taking a terrible toll on entire communities, particularly in regional Victoria," Mr Andrews said.

The government also pledged $15 million for new drug and booze buses, $500,000 to help set up grassroots action grounds in regional areas and announced four new offences to tackle ice, delivering on election promises.

Trafficking ice to school students, publishing instructions on how to manufacture ice, and allowing premises to be used for manufacturing or trafficking the drug will carry penalties of up to 25 years, Mr Andrews said.

Shadow Health Minister Mary Wooldridge said the new funding would not replace $4.2 million cut from the coalition's community ice budget over four years, starting this year.

"That's initiatives that would be addressing the issue of ice in our community today, tomorrow, next week, next month," she said.


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