The latest testing of wastewater nationally shows that regional Victoria ranks first for ketamine consumption and second highest for heroin and oxycodone consumption, but the secretive nature of the research means Goulburn Valley residents will not know if those figures are reflected in their communities.
The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission has released the latest figures from its National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program.
The analysis reveals the level of harm experienced by the community from illicit and legal drugs.
The figures show that more than 14 tonnes of methylamphetamine, cocaine, MDMA and heroin, with an estimated street value of $10 billion, was consumed in year six of the program to August 2022.
Although that figure represents a 10 per cent reduction in total consumption from year five (2020–21), there were increases in national methylamphetamine and heroin consumption from year five to year six of the program.
The data also showed that national regional alcohol, nicotine, methylamphetamine, MDMA, MDA, oxycodone, fentanyl and cannabis average consumption exceeded capital city consumption.
Melbourne led the nation for consumption of methylamphetamine, heroin and ketamine and was second highest for cocaine consumption.
“This is a concerning amount, both in terms of economic cost, the actual expenditure on drugs, and the cost to the community through violence, road trauma, property crime, illness, injury and deaths associated with illicit drug use,” commission acting chief executive Matt Rippon said.
Mr Rippon said wastewater analysis provided crucial information and intelligence on drug markets and serious and organised criminal activity.
“The findings show methylamphetamine continues to be the most consumed illicit stimulant by some margin. We also saw record low national consumption of cocaine,” Mr Rippon said.
The commission said the low level of cocaine consumption was primarily due to law enforcement seizures and detections, which limited supply, as it did not report any tangible evidence of a reduction in demand.
Report 18 of the ACIC’s wastewater program covered sampling in August and October 2022.
In August, 58 wastewater sites were monitored nationally, covering approximately 57 per cent of the Australian population. In Victoria that included two “capital city” sites and nine regional sites, but the commission will not say whether Shepparton or other centres in the Goulburn Valley were among those sites, or the results from the testing if they were.
“In accordance with current wastewater analysis conventions, the terms of the contract, and to protect the integrity of the ACIC’s wastewater program, the exact sampling locations cannot be publicly released by the ACIC,” the commission said.
“To maintain the confidentiality of the participating site, each site was allocated a unique code to de-identify their results; however, trends in particular states and territories can be identified.”
Drug-related support and information
- For free and confidential advice about alcohol and other drug treatment services call the National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline on 1800 250 015.
- Access free 24/7 drug and alcohol counselling online at www.counsellingonline.org.au
- For information about drug and alcohol addiction treatment or support, go to the www.turningpoint.org.au