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Minister for Regional Australia Simon Grean, Beverley Kerr, President Matthew Talbot Homelessness Services, mayor of Armidale Peter Ducat and lndependent Member for New England Tony Windsor turn the first sod in the St Vincerrt de Paul Societ/s $15.8 million redevelopment of F eeman House in Armidale last Friday. and haining is the ticket to awarded to local building ago the team here in Arrrrition for men and women. self sustai:rability, and we firm Buildplan. Once com- dale felt that a new facility "However, the new propleted it wlll have a 24- was essential to address the gram thatwe will be able to are confident that, with the combination of the dedicabed residential rehabilita- need, now and into the fu- offer is medicalised detox tion ofthe great staffhere, tion mit, l0-bed detox and ture," he said. which cunently doesn't exbut also ofthe facilities that homelessness unil six in"October 2013 is our ist in this regron. we've provided, that they'll dependent transitional units planned completion date "It is about a whole of be servicing, effectively, a and a learning centre for for the redevelopment and journey experience in telms lot more people." day programs at the moment, we continue of dealing with the medical St Vincent de Paul have Matt Cleary, Executive to provide a service in tem- symptoms, as people have operated Freeman House Officer for the Mathew Tal- porary accommodation. withdrawal from drug and since 1979, offering a spe- bot Homeless Service, said "Currently we are a 16- alcohol and then dealing cialist homelessness and the St Vincent de Paul Soci- bed facility with outeach with the social and emodrug and alcohol rehabilitaety is committed to provid- services focusing mainly on tional needs ofrehab. tion service. The redevel- ing crisis accommodation drug and alcohol rehabilita"We will also have six opment is due for comple- for homeless people and tion. The new facility will house facilities for hansi. fion by mid-2013, with the drug and alcohol rehabili- include drug and alcohol re- tion post-rehab to ensure tender for the constuction tation. "About three years hab and crisis accommodasuccess in our proglam."

The first sod was turned on St Vincent de Paul Society's 515.8 million redevelopment of Freeman House in Armidale last Friday by the

talia Simon Crean, Beverley Kerr, President Matftew Talbot Homelessness Services and Independent Member for New England Tony Windsor to mark the treginning of construction of the specialist homelessness and drug and alcohol
rehabilitation service.

Minister for Regional Aus-

parmenhips in St Vincent de Paul's zuccessful appli-

Simon Crean emphasised the importance of

cation for Regional Development Austoalia Funding which enabled the redevelopment to move forward.

'This project represents

a strong

invesfuent parbrerFEde,r:al

ship between the

Crovemment and St Vincent dePaul Society. The Society the

contributed $7.3 million to $ I 5. 8 millirn upgrade,"

he said.

"I

think the important

the

this redevelopment is

extended initiative about

training dirnension, because it's one thing to give people comfod refuge, rehab facilifies, it's another dimension to give them the second chance, in some cases a third chance. And education is the key to that it doesn't matter which environment

you talk about,

education