A "Dob in a Dealer" campaign, which has shown success in the Orana region, is being introduced in ice-impacted communities across Australia to target local criminals manufacturing and distributing the drug.
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The federal government announced on Monday it had put $1 million into the program, which would be run in partnership with Crime Stoppers Australia.
Wellington had been running a Dob in a Dealer campaign through its grassroots Gungie Origin program and was already showing results last year when the government signalled a nationwide campaign targeting the dealers.
It led to 12 arrests and the referral of many people battling addiction to The Glen rehabilitation centre as well as a more targeted use of the drug detection bus, identifying drivers under the influence of drugs.
One of the creators of the Gungie Origin Dob in a Dealer campaign, Zeke Shaw, said news of the national campaign would be welcomed by the Wellington community.
Gungie (meaning "police" in the Indigenous language) Origin used a community game of football between Dubbo Westhaven and the Wellington police to represent a host of Wellington events that promoted the elements of inclusion, crime-reduction and community in the battle against ice and antisocial behaviour.
Mr Shaw and Inspector Scott Tanner were preparing on Monday for a trip to Brisbane to deliver a conference paper to the International Change Summit, a platform that might see it go global after a host of other places have signed up or shown interest in Gungie Origin, including Taree, Foster, Gunnedah, Redfern, Mt Druitt and Coonabarabran.
"I'd like to congratulate the government thinking down that path of using a strategy the Wellington community has revitalised and localised. The Wellington community has been at the forefront creating strategies of the Dob in a Dealer program," Mr Shaw said.
"There needs to be a strong genuine focus on Wellington in particular, simply because we were the only community standing up saying we do care about our community and we do care about families in our town."
The National Ice Taskforce Final Report, delivered in December, identified the most important strategies to protect Australia from this devastating drug - and the violence it caused - was to disrupt supply and reduce demand.
Crime Stoppers would provide residents with a safe, secure and anonymous avenue to report those suspected of being involved in the manufacture or supply of ice and other illegal drugs.
If you have information about someone who is manufacturing or dealing in ice call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at www.crimestoppers.com.au.
