Land Councils have key role in combating ice scourge

10 December, 2015

Land Councils have key role in combating ice scourge.

The NSW Aboriginal Land Council (NSWALC) has welcomed the Commonwealth Government’s action plan to combat the scourge of ice.

NSWALC Chair Roy Ah-See said the drug was an increasing nightmare for Aboriginal communities throughout New South Wales and called for authorities to work with Local Aboriginal Land Councils for solutions.

“Every day we hear horror stories about the impact of ice and the devastating impact on families and loved ones,” he said.

Cr Ah-See welcomes the National Ice Taskforce Final Report recommendation to target the most vulnerable populations.

“Local Aboriginal Land Councils were well-placed to work with agencies on education, prevention and community engagement strategies to tackle ice.

“The Turnbull Government has acknowledged that local knowledge is best and we know that service delivery in Aboriginal communities works best when Aboriginal people are empowered to develop locally-based solutions.

“Connection to land and country is the key to healing our people culturally and spiritually which is why our Local Aboriginal Land Councils must be part of the solution when it comes to combating ice addiction.

“We thank the Turnbull Government for acknowledging the enormous challenges we face in stamping out ice and urge them to recognise that Local Aboriginal Land Councils are part of the solution – they need the support and resources to use land and identity to heal Aboriginal people trapped in the hopeless cycle of addiction

Acknowledgement

We pay our respects to the Traditional Owners of the lands where we work as well as across the lands we travel through. We also acknowledge our Elders past, present and emerging.

Artwork Credit: Craig Cromelin, from a painting he did titled, "4 favourite fishing holes". It is a snippet of his growing years on the Lachlan River, featuring yabby, turtle, fish and family.

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