MP Jacinta Ermacora voices support for 'The Lookout'

She has thrown her support behind The Lookout, a proposed $6 million drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre.

Ms Ermacora said residents needed to be able to access these services in their own community.

"(We need this facility) so individuals don't have to travel two hours away and neither do their families to support them in their rehabilitation," she told The Standard.

"So it is really important and it is a project that I am actively advocating for."

Western Region Alcohol and Drug Centre (WRAD) CEO Geoff Soma said the facility would support about 30 clients at a time if it was funded.

"Currently, clients have to access treatment outside of this region, so they're our main target group," he said.

"I'm hoping that it's going to get funded. These things take time, we've certainly had a lot of community support."

Mr Soma, who announced this week he was retiring in June after 23 years at the helm of WRAD, said $675,000 from community donations and a further $875,000 from WRAD had been raised for The Lookout project so far.

Ms Ermacora said she had been involved in advocating for the project for the past few years as a board member of Regional Partnerships Great South Coast.

"In my new role (as an MP), I hope that I will be able to influence a positive outcome," she said.

"There's no doubt that I'm committed to the project. In the last month or so I met with the entire board, pretty much the entire committee and the patron of WRAD, Paul Jennings.

"It was great to get an update on where the project advocacy was at and that really helps me nudge it forward."

Mr Ermacora said Mr Soma's management of WRAD had been hugely beneficial for the community.

"When many people with addiction experience judgement and criticism, WRAD under Geoff's leadership has quietly provided the respect and support that they needed," she said.

"You can have all these buildings and all the advocacy but really the biggest impact is the culture Geoff's created of support for the individuals."

While funding The Lookout was a campaign promise of the Liberal party during last year's state election, Labor is yet to finance the project. South West Coast Liberal MP Roma Britnell said it was disappointing the Labor government hadn't funded the facility.

"The need for a residential rehabilitation facility in Warrnambool is urgent. The lack of services in this region is forcing people to travel long distances or go without the help they need," she said.

"The Andrews Labor government must get their priorities right and recognise the importance of investing in human welfare and fund The Lookout in this year's state budget."

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