With invitations to the NSW Drug Summit having now been issued by NSW Health Minister Ryan Park, Uniting is urging every politician in the NSW Parliament to prioritise their attendance to the Summit.
Emma Maiden, General Manager External Relations and Advocacy at Uniting NSW.ACT said: “Invitations have been sent to NSW parliamentarians for the much-anticipated Drug Summit to begin on November the 1st in Griffith.
“We are calling on all NSW parliamentarians to prioritise attending the Drug Summit – whether it be on the dates in Griffith, Lismore or Sydney. We know from our services and congregations in communities right across NSW just how important this Drug Summit will be.
“All parliamentarians should be there to make sure each community is heard on this important issue.
“As we see rates of overdose deaths increasing throughout regional NSW and dangerous nitazenes showing up in a significant range of substances now more than ever we need this summit to listen to the evidence and take real action,” Emma said.
“We look forward to a wide range of stakeholders being a part of the Summit from lived experience, services and experts. The Summit is a time to put politics to the side, listen to the evidence and come together to create meaningful action.
“Nothing should be off the table.
“The Government needs to now finalise invites to other attendees, plan pre-Summit service visits, circulate the agenda and pre-reads on the key issues.
“All MPs will be asked to vote on the outcomes of the Drug Summit so it’s really important they participate in the process – so they can make informed decision-making when they come to vote – we really need every member of the NSW Parliament in the room, even if they haven’t thought deeply about drug related issues.
“It’s clear, even before the NSW Drug Summit takes place, that real, meaningful drug reform has broad and overwhelming political and community support and is urgently needed,” Emma said.