A DRUG court in Mildura would cost $15 million to develop and $2 million a year to run, according to a Parliamentary Budget Office costing estimate.
The Derryn Hinch’s Justice Party Member for Northern Victoria, Tania Maxwell, said the costing was recently prepared at her request and she would continue to work from the cross bench with the next state government to see a drug court established in Mildura.
“The costs amount to a significant commitment of taxpayer dollars,” Ms Maxwell said.
“But there’s clear evidence that drugs courts work in communities where there are robust alcohol and other drugs (AOD) services.
“Wastewater analysis confirms that consumption of most drugs is higher per capita in regional communities, including Mildura.
“A Victoria Police survey in September 2022 also confirmed Mildura residents’ top crime concerns included home burglaries and drug trafficking.
“It is well-established that problematic drug and alcohol use contributes to crime, including family violence, property offences, criminal damage and assaults.
“Drug courts work when combined with sufficient AOD services.”
Ms Maxwell said the current government had already committed $36 million for a 30-bed residential detox and rehabilitation centre in Mildura.
“A commitment for a drug court is the next step, but this government is a ‘big supporter’, as Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes told me in Parliament in October last year,” she said.
“Ms Symes said evaluations in 2005 and 2014 showed a drug court could deliver a cost-benefit community dividend of 5:1, a 32 per cent reduction in local unemployment, a 70 per cent reduction in prison days required and a 21 per cent reduction in re-offending.”
Ms Maxwell said the combination of coercion, collaboration and supervision underpinned the success of drug courts operating in a community with comprehensive AOD services.
“The benefits are clear when you consider the costs of court supervised AOD rehabilitation, at $26,000 per person, compared with an imprisonment cost of $197,000 for a two-year term.
“I’ll be working hard to convince the next government about the benefits of the next step.”
