Fair Treatment campaign: Drug reformers' Tamworth visit sparks hopes for campaign for change

Former Uniting Church Minister Chris Wright said a pair of organisers from the church's Fair Treatment campaign would visit the city on June 5.

There are a number of local groups which support drug decriminalisation - and even more want a drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre for Tamworth - but they've never been properly organised, he said.

"I think that's part of it, rather than be so fragmented [we need to work together]. I hope something will come out of that, so we can work together. We're very open to working with other groups," he said.

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Mr Wright said winning a new rehabilitation service or drug law reform would take a determined campaign.

"It's just a matter of getting the public on side," he said.

"I don't think politicians lead that much I think politicians follow. If you get enough public pressure around it you get your interest I think, so that's where we're going."

Tamworth-based Uniting Church Moderator Simon Hansford is one of the faces of the statewide push for decriminalisation of drugs.

He said the campaign at a state level had been going "really well".

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Mr Hansford pointed to a recent event marking the 20^th anniversary of Sydney's safe injecting room, which was well-attended by politicians from all sides of politics.

"The best way forward on this is for people involved in any capacity, either as family and friends, or communities, to be talking to local members, to be talking to people in the community, to be engaged in this conversation," he said.

"Doctors, people who are involved in drug and alcohol health, they are keen for there to be a constructive way forward. All the evidence says that treating this as a social and health issue is the way forward."

Mr Wright said the most difficult part of the drug law reform campaign was making the distinction between legalisation and decriminalisation for personal use.

The "community discussion about the alcohol and other drug treatment needs of Tamworth" is set to be held at the Tamworth Southside Uniting Church from 3pm to 5pm on Saturday, June 5.

The meeting will also probe "ideas on how to win better funding for treatment services" for Tamworth.

"I'm hoping people come along who have actually had this touch their lives, because they're powerful stories. It puts a human face to the whole thing," Mr Wright said.

Many local groups want to convert the existing Banksia Mental Health Unit into a drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre once the mental healthcare services move to their new unit.

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