The NSW health department has backtracked on plans for a Dubbo drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre which has been labelled “not culturally appropriate” by Aboriginal leaders.
Key points:
- Health officials have hit pause on controversial plans to build a rehab centre on a suburban Dubbo block
- Aboriginal leaders have labelled the site’s location as culturally inappropriate
- The NSW Health Minister Ryan Park has put the onus on council to find an alternative location
The 16-bed, $7.5-million centre drew criticism when it was revealed it would be located on a suburban West Dubbo block, and would be seven beds smaller than promised due to “monetary factors”.
The area was previously home to Gordon Estate, a housing block notorious for its high crime rates.
Tubbah-Gah leader Pam Wells, who is a Dubbo Regional councillor, has spent years lobbying for a rural site for a drug and alcohol rehab centre.
She said the suburban Spears Drive site would not serve the needs of the Aboriginal community.
“A high [proportion] of my Aboriginal community will be using this facility, and it’s not culturally appropriate there,” Cr Wells said.
“We’ve been able to apply enough influence and pressure to NSW Health that we don’t agree with the site, and thankfully that has been heard.”
The site has received stiff opposition from neighbours who oppose it being built near their homes.
It has also received criticism from former Dubbo addicts, who have had to drive to Sydney to access a rehab centre, who say the proposed centre is too small and lacks privacy.
At a meeting on Thursday, Dubbo councillors unanimously opposed the Spears Drive site and voted to review their options.
NSW Health Minister Ryan Park has put the onus on council to provide an alternative location.
Plans now on pause
Western NSW Local Health District has now sold the Spears Drive site to government agency Property NSW, and has promised to start over with community consultation and planning work.
Local Heath District chief executive Mark Spittal maintained that Spears Drive was a good location, but was open to council offering an alternative site.
“We remain open to being presented with viable alternatives by council that meet the requirements of the centre, and do not delay delivery of the project, or put at risk funding,” Mr Spittal said.
Dubbo mayor Mathew Dickerson said the Local Health District (LHD) had rejected nearly all of their previous offers of land, since they had stipulated it must be within 10 minutes of the hospital.
Cr Dickerson said the department’s new requirements, including that any alternative site not increase the cost or delay the project, would make their search even more difficult.
“It would be hard changing to any other parcel of land that wouldn’t involve some form of additional cost or some form of additional delay,” Mr Dickerson said.
“I don’t know how genuine the process was from the Department of Health or the health minister to actually stop Spears Drive.”
Minister Ryan Park said council had previously offered an ideal site on Bunglegumbie Road, but then withdrew that offer.
“Council-owned land at North Bunglegumbie was previously considered as a potential site by the LHD and initial investigations by the LHD indicated it could be appropriate but in 2022 council staff advised that it was no longer available,” Mr Park said.
“This is a project that needs to get underway, and get underway soon.”
Council said they withdrew the North Bunglegumbie site in light of new plans to turn it into a residential area.
Mr Spittal said he wanted to get the rehab centre running by 2025.
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