This is according to local Magistrate Erin Kennedy, who this week took the issue of methamphetamine “ice” addiction to a national audience. 

Magistrate Kennedy said of almost 5000 cases she oversaw annually, more than 2000 were ice related, with cases varying from possession and supply to habit-funding and drug-driven crime.

“Regional areas do suffer because they don’t have the resources ready to hand,” Magistrate Kennedy said.

“We do need more support with rehabilitation options locally … the services we have work so hard, but they can’t keep up.”

Magistrate Kennedy’s words come after the city was branded the country’s “ice-capital” on a national Sunday-night program. 

Wagga police on Monday defended the city, after it was reported drug offences had decreased 26.8 per cent in 2017, according to BOCSAR.

But Magistrate Kennedy said it was a serious and growing issue, impacting many across the region, with notable increases in violent crimes, including attacks against police, emergency services, doctors, nurses and security.

“These crimes – what I’m hearing is the victims are unable to reason with someone in that state,” she said. “The addiction is just so strong, people are willing to risk their liberty, their family, jobs and their children - it’s so powerful.”

She said everyday residents had no idea what was going on beneath the surface of an otherwise beautiful community. 

“That’s what concerns me,” Magistrate Kennedy said. 

“You want people to be alert to it, because it is impacting everyday people's lives.

“It’s taking people out from all walks of life. It does not discriminate. Once it has you, it’s got you.”

She said the solution could lie within the hearts and minds of city residents. 

“Wagga is such a strong community,” Magistrate Kennedy said. “Once they realise it’s an issue, a community like this is extremely capable of participating in the recovery of some of these people.”

For every person who could rehabilitate, she said there would be one less victim. 

Magistrate Kennedy said she spent everyday pleading with addicts to consider their options and change their ways. 

But she said often when ice addicts said wanted to rehabilitate that day, there was nowhere for them to go. 

“We’re missing opportunities,” she said. “The services we have are wonderful, but they need more support.”

Magistrate Kennedy said she had seen how the Wagga community could band together in flood, drought and fire, and she urged it to do the same now. 

“This is a community that loves hard, works hard and cares,” she said. “You think there probably are more ways we can extend support for these people who do truly want to recover.”