Drug and alcohol seminars to be held at Club

One-day drug and alcohol seminars will soon be made available to the parents and care givers at the Ettalong Digger's Club.

"We started the community drug and alcohol initiative back in around July 2015 and it was just a casual talk between myself and Lucy Wicks and it has grown from that," said Ettalong Diggers CEO Mr Bill Jackson.

"I have made sure we have got all the clubs and licensed venues, the hotels, in the Gosford LGA to be part of it , or as many as we possibly can, and then Ms Wicks made sure the various government departments were aware of it and were invited as well," he said.

"I see a lot of the younger people in the area, through my association with the football clubs, and the netballs clubs in the area, and I do have five grandchildren of my own, and I just cannot bear the thought of them growing up in a society where ice, which can be manufactured in a cardboard box is freely available.

"My idea wasn't so that we wouldn't just say OK we are going to target drugs.

"It had to be drug and alcohol on the Central Coast.

"The reason it has to be drugs and alcohol is that they would be the main items, along with mental illness, that cause domestic violence.

"You try to separate them out but you can't and we need to make sure that our current patrons, and future patrons, are kept safe from it," he said.

The group has had several meetings during the past 12 months and, according to Mr Jackson, its major achievements to date included agreeing to an action plan that will result in a community education program.

"It will see parents, interested adults and teachers take part in one-day seminars which will give them the ability to recognise people with problems, and it also gives them information about what they need to do to help that person," Mr Jackson said.

"The seminars are just about to be started and we are looking at having a couple on the Peninsula and a couple at Gosford," he said

"We haven't got any dates or times yet but the venues look like being here at Diggers in the 700 seat function room and in the Central Coast Leagues Club.

"The information will be coming from experts in the field and it will be doctors, councillors and those people that are in the situation of having to deal with drug and alcohol problems every day.

"They will be able to explain to parents, grandparents and relations how to recognise a problem if there is one and how to overcome that problem," he said.

Mr Jackson said he was also grateful for the assistance of the Brisbane Water Liquor Accord and by the hoteliers and the Australian Hotels Association.

"Historically the AHA and clubs don't really see eye to eye but on this one everybody can see eye to eye and everyone is behind us."

Mr Jackson said the initiatives other major achievement to date had been to make changes to the Brisbane Water Liquor According.

"It used to be that the barred from one barred from all licensed venues rule was for alcohol related items only but now it is for alcohol and drug related items," he said.

Interview, 11 may 2016

Bill Jackson, Ettalong Diggers

Reporter: Jackie Pearson