BARNABY Joyce has brought the issue of class to Australia's ice problem.
The interim report from the National Ice Taskforce was released this week by the Prime Minister. Commenting on the report Mr Joyce said that ice was a "dirty drug".
"No class—the druggy version of picking your nose and eating it."
While nose pickers who eat their catch have long been labeled as gross this is the first time they have been used to describe an addiction to an illicit substance.
Mr Joyce also described the drug as loyal.
"But it is loyal; it will stick with you to the end, and efficient too, gets to the end, socially, economically, personally, quickly."
The Taskforce has identified six key areas to guide work toward the development of the National Ice Action Strategy:
- focusing law enforcement actions;
- targeting primary prevention;
- improving access to early intervention, treatment and support services;
- supporting local communities to respond;
- improving tools for frontline workers; and
- improving and consolidating research and data.
The Action plan is a welcome step forward for Armidale which is not immune to the ice problem.
In April the Armidale Express revealed that children as young as eight were becoming addicted to the drug.
The final report will be delivered to the next meeting of the Council of Australian Governments.
