Monday, 6 August 2007 - Mary Woolridge MLA

The "Hangover For Life" campaign highlights Labor's under-resourced alcohol and drug services, Shadow Minister for Drug Abuse Mary Wooldridge said today.

The campaign will seek to raise awareness that hundreds of thousands of Victorians - as many as one in eight - are drinking at levels that place them at risk of permanent brain damage without even knowing it.

Mrs Wooldridge said awareness initiatives will identify many Victorians who previously did not know they had a problem, so Victoria needs a service system capable of dealing with that increased demand.

"I am deeply concerned that the many Victorians with alcohol related brain injury will simply not be able to access services," Ms Wooldridge said.

"Victoria's treatment sector is already collapsing under the pressure of demand coupled with funding cuts."

The Salvation Army, one of the largest providers of services that tackle alcohol and other drugs, said earlier this year that the service sector is under-capacity by about 50 per cent.

Labor has acknowledged there is a problem, and has said that demand for services has been increasing. But in the recent budget they cut drug services funding by more than three per cent. Labor has also said that any improvements to the system will be made within current resources.

Ms Wooldridge said arbias Ltd is doing a great job in raising awareness about alcohol related brain injury, but the State Labor Government needs to come to the party.

"We know that there has been a five-fold increase in the number of young people treated for acquired brain injuries due to alcohol in the last 10 years.

"However Labor needs to genuinely invest in both raising awareness and adequate treatment services to ensure the community can minimise the growing incidence and impact of alcohol related brain injury," Ms Wooldridge said.

Link to story on Victorian Liberals website: The "Hangover For Life" campaign highlights limited services