Pittwater Life November 2023 Issue

News
Rehab services recall plea
The State Government
has been urged to
urgently address the lack of
residential drug and alcohol
rehabilitation services on the
Northern Beaches.
Member for Pittwater Rory
Amon said that having been
denied access to vital rehab
services for almost a year,
vulnerable residents continue
to travel far out of area to
seek help.
He explained Kadesh
Rehabilitation Services had
operated in partnership with
the Northern Sydney Local
Health District from 2010.
Its Phoenix House Drug
and Alcohol Rehabilitation
residential service was
established at the Mona Vale Hospital site in
February 2019.
In December 2022, the service was closed
without any notice being given to the Pittwater
or Northern Beaches community.
“Since being elected, I have pursued the new
Government about reinstating the residential
drug and alcohol rehabilitation service for
Pittwater and Northern Beaches residents,” Mr
Amon said.
“Sadly, the government has obfuscated and
refused to provide any commitment to these
CLOSED: Mr Amon at the vacant Mona
Vale Hospital rehab space.
vital services.”
The calls come months
after Mr Amon wrote to the
Health Minister and sought
answers to a Question
in Parliament seeking
assurances regarding the
reinstatement of the services.
Recent Government
advice stated that “The
former Phoenix House site
is currently unoccupied
pending the outcome of
further investigations and
consultations about the best
use of the site.”
Mr Amon continued:
“The Government has been
investigating and consulting
on the provision of critical
residential drug and alcohol
services for nearly 12 months. It has taken far
too long and swift action is needed.
“The closest operational residential
rehabilitation services are in St Leonards,
Sydney City, and Concord.
“This means that people struggling with
addiction are forced to seek support far away
from their home, isolated from their loved
ones.
“It is an utter waste to have Phoenix House
sitting vacant at the Mona Vale Hospital site.”
– NW
Another garden
centre set to go
W
arriewood could be
without a dedicated plant
nursery with another garden
centre looking set to make way
for a housing development.
An application to demolish
Foleys Nursery at 16 Macpherson
St, Warriewood and transform
it into 28 new homes is
with Northern Beaches Council.
The proposed $18-million
housing development would
comprise 21 separate houses
and four semi-detached homes
as well as three attached dwellings
— all with three bedrooms.
In the DA, planning consultants
state that the homes would
“provide a high level of amenity
for future occupants, without
compromising the amenity of
surrounding development or
the character of the locality”.
The application to redevelop
the 10,000 sqm site comes as
NSW Government planning officials
are examining a $36-million
proposal to uproot the
nearby Flower Power Garden
Centre and replace it with 53
homes.
22 NOVEMBER 2023
The Local Voice Since 1991