MONEY FOR DRUG PROGRAMS IS LIMITED: EGAN

New South Wales Treasurer Michael Egan warned today that the NSW
government did not have unlimited money to spend on the drugs problem.

Mr Egan was speaking against an opposition proposal at the NSW Drug
Summit to treble spending on drug treatment.

"There's isn't a money tap and I think anyone who is suggesting to you
that there is is having you on," he told the summit.

He agreed there needed to be a significant increase in treatment
funding but an audit needed to be conducted first to establish how
much more was needed.

Opposition health spokeswoman Jillian Skinner said the government had
to make a real commitment to increasing demand for treatment.

"We have at this summit moved motions which are going to increase
demand," Ms Skinner said.

"We have heard consistently through the summit that at least
one-in-three people are being turned away (from treatment programs).
If we don't support this resolution to at least treble funds, we're
not serious."

Instead of voting to treble state government funding for drug
programs, the summit called for a significant boost in funding from
the federal, state and local governments.

Delegates are currently fine tuning the communique that will set out
the agreements and conclusions reached at the summit.