Support Don’t Punish 2026: NSW Budget misses chance to deliver Drug Summit reforms as overdose rates hit record high

Policy & Evidence

					Support Don’t Punish 2026: NSW Budget misses chance to deliver Drug Summit reforms as overdose rates hit record high				

As Australia records its highest-ever number of overdose deaths, organisations across the country mark Support Don’t Punish Day 2026, a global campaign demanding drug policies grounded in health, compassion and human rights.

“This is the day when Uniting NSW.ACT joins with organisations from around the world to challenge stigma and injustice, and to push for laws, policies and practices that support health outcomes instead of punishment,” said Alex Hogan, Uniting NSW.ACT’s Senior Social Justice Lead.

“The Penington Institute’s latest Annual Overdose Report shows overdose deaths have reached their highest level on record, with seven Australians dying every day. Yet this year’s NSW Budget has no new funding for alcohol and other drug treatment services, no investment to strengthen the Early Drug Diversion Initiative (EDDI), and no funding for drug checking services,” said Ms Hogan.

Recent evidence continues to underline that reform works. The ACT’s two-year evaluation of drug decriminalisation found around 70 per cent of people found in possession of drugs were diverted away from the criminal justice system and into health and support services.

By comparison, a March 2026 BOCSAR review found NSW’s Early Drug Diversion Initiative (EDDI) is falling well short of its intended purpose, with only 22 per cent of eligible people offered diversion during its first year.

“The NSW Government must urgently legislate and fund the Drug Summit reforms,” said Ms Hogan.

“This includes strengthening EDDI so diversion becomes the default response by police – removing the strike system, lowering fines, and other eligibility barriers.”

“The ACT has shown that evidence-based drug law reform works. It diverts people into health care, reducing pressure on courts and law enforcement and ultimately saves lives.”

To mark Support Don’t Punish Day, Uniting’s Fair Treatment campaign will host a Webinar on 8 July, examining NSW’s Early Drug Diversion Initiative, lessons from the ACT model and how to build fairer, more effective health-based responses to drug use.

Details for our Support Don’t Punish event below:

When:	Wednesday 8^th July 6:30pm-7:30pm
Where:	ONLINE via Teams.
Register:	Support Don’t Punish Webinar: Discussing Decriminalisation and Diversion in NSW and the ACT

Media are welcome to attend.

Interested in becoming a partnering organisation?

Partners align with Fair Treatment’s two main aims:

Law reform for a primary health-response to personal possession of currently illicit drugs or “decriminalisation” and;
More funding for alcohol and other drug treatment services. For more details, read the Discussion Paper.

If you are interested in becoming a new partnering organisation or for more information fill out the form below and one of the team will contact you as soon as possible.

New South Wales Needs Better Drug Diversion

Too many people in NSW face court instead of support

Strict eligibility rules, a two-strike limit and poor implementation mean many people in NSW miss out on drug diversion. To keep the people we love safe, this needs to change.