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Sudden Closure Of Sobering-Up Centre A Big LossGippsland MP Peter Hall has slammed the Bracks Government for dumping a local program that addresses alcoholism among the aboriginal community. By Peter Hall - 30th September 2005 - Back to News The aboriginal sobering-up centre located in Morwell is set to close today (Friday 30 September) after workers were told on Wednesday that they no longer have a job.
Mr Hall said the program arose from the Aboriginal Deaths in Custody Royal Commission and enabled local police, in co-operation with the sobering-up centre, to deal promptly with people of aboriginal descent who were drunk in a public place.
"Rather than imprisoning these people, they are bailed in the care of workers and retained at the dedicated sobering up centre. Another major benefit is that any health needs can be seen to and those involved are encouraged to enter programs that address other alcohol or drug related problems.
"In recent years the centres have also assisted young people found to be engaged in chroming," Mr Hall said.
He added that local police were aghast that funding for the program was being withdrawn. Many stations do not have sufficient staff or expertise to adequately deal with the issues that has been dealt with by the centre.
The program, while based in Morwell, has gone as far as Warragul, Leongatha and Sale to provide services.
According to Mr Hall, the program has been a win-win situation, with those involved being put under the supervision of their own people and follow up support made available. The general public also benefits by seeing aboriginals affected by alcohol removed promptly from public places.
"The question is, what happens now? The local police will again be loaded with the problem, and aboriginal people affected will not have access to support and services that may enable them to break the cycle of drunkenness.
"All the police have the resources to do, as I see it, is throw people into a cell and once they have sobered up, put them back on the street again. That’s just recycling the problem to the detriment of all."
Mr Hall said he had been trying to contact the Victorian Minister for Aboriginal Affairs for the past three days but is yet to have his phone calls returned.
"The sudden cessation of this program is not good enough. The sobering up service is much needed by local aboriginal people, the police and the general community and must be retained. "And to add insult to injury, the Bracks Labor Government has given workers employed by the program just three days notice of termination. That seems a bit rich when Federal Labor is so strongly critical of proposed work place relation reforms," Mr Hall concluded.
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: news@gippsland.com
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