Calvary Riverina Drug and Alcohol Centre

Each month, members of ACNSW gather to promote the work of the party and to hear from a variety of Christian workers, organisations, and ministries.

Our guest speakers for the month of September were Belinda Waugh and Fiona Nyangu, from the Calvary Riverina Drug and Alcohol Centre. The work of the Centre is to provide comprehensive drug and alcohol programmes and treatment services. The aim is to reduce harm to individuals, families, and communities.

Belinda and Fiona provided a comprehensive overview of the Centre’s work. They minister to people from all socio-economic levels. There are both residential and outpatient programmes. The most commonly encountered substances in addiction are alcohol (men) and amphetamines (women). Challenges include gaps and duplications in services provided across the region. An individualised approach is used to create a unique combination of interventions for each participant. These may include group sessions, exercise, educational courses, and work experience opportunities. All participants are enrolled in a roster to share the cooking, cleaning, and general maintenance. As they progress through the programme, they are also given tasks with increasing levels of leadership responsibility. The aim is to re-instil a sense of hope and purpose which is often lost in addiction. This in turn helps with eventual re-integration back into society.

As a Christian political party, Australian Christians seeks to address drug and alcohol problems through compassion, prevention, personal responsibility and restoration. Policies should support early intervention and expand access to rehabilitation and mental-health services. They should also provide pathways from addiction to employment, housing, and community participation. Governments should partner strategically with churches, charities and specialist NGOs, recognising their proven capacity to provide holistic, relationship-based support. Law enforcement should target drug trafficking and exploitation. Christian principles of human dignity, forgiveness, accountability and redemption should underpin policy. We seek not merely to manage addiction but to restore individuals, strengthen families and build healthier communities.

“If someone is caught in a sin … restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” – Galatians 6:1–2