"I hope that we can look back in a decade's time and say that this initiative was the beginning of the turnaround."
Declaring the Ceduna and East Kimberly trials a success,the government announced the WA Goldfields as the third trial site,to be rolled out early next year.
ORIMA Research's final evaluation found alcohol consumption and gambling had reduced in both trial sites,with 41 per cent of respondents reporting they drank less frequently and 48 per cent said they gambled less.
Alcohol-related hospital visits also dropped,as did pokies revenue. Of those who admitted using illicit drugs,48 per cent said they were using less drugs.