A quiet suburb flared up on Sunday as a crowd rallied to decry the decision to build a rehab centre on a residential block.
Campaigners say their demands for a large rural rehab centre for Dubbo have been ignored in favour of a scaled-down one in the suburbs.
Longstanding proponent Chris Fallon, who overcame alcohol addiction himself, said nearly 10 years of community advocacy had been disregarded by the government.
"I'd like to know, out of all the people who've made a decision about this plan, how many have been to rehab? I'd say none," Mr Fallon said.
"You politicians count votes, we count corpses."
Mr Fallon was forced to book into a self-funded rehab centre in Sydney due to a lack of facilities in Western NSW.
Karina McLachlain, who has worked in a rehab clinic for 10 years, said it was crucial for patients to be kept far away from bad influences.
Ms McLachlain said many of her patients were deliberately targeted by drug dealers, and sometimes even by their old friends or family.
"All of the shame and all of the guilt of everything you've done … you have to face when you're sober," she said.
"Sometimes that's a powerful motivation to going back to alcohol and drugs, and when they're so easily put in people's pathways they'll go back to it."
The location has also drawn criticism from nearby residents and Indigenous leaders.
Centre to open with reduced bed capacity
The rehab centre will open with 16 beds, a scaled-back version of the original plan for 23 beds.
Member for Dubbo Dugald Saunders told the ABC a cost blowout was the reason behind the reduction in beds.
He said the state and federal government had provided enough money to fund the entire project, but subsequent cost increases meant the funding was no longer sufficient to deliver the project as it was originally proposed.
"Like everything at the moment, every building project has really seen its scope change in the past 12 to 18 months with costs rising," Mr Saunders said.
"That's just the reality of where we are with building supplies, the cost of steel et cetera."
Site choice criticised
The centre was a government project, but Western NSW Local Health District had the final decision on the choice of site.
When announcing the location in February, chief executive Mark Spittal said a residential site was chosen as it had better access to the community.
"Connection to the community is vital for people undergoing rehabilitation, and that is why around 80 per cent of residential rehabilitation services in NSW are in urban areas similar to this preferred site," Mr Spittal said.
"This site has the size and capacity to support residential, treatment and recreational facilities, and is in close proximity to health services, community, public transport and other amenities."
Dubbo Regional councillor and Tubba-Gah woman Pam Wells said council had several options that were not in suburban West Dubbo.
Councillor Wells said she was disappointed this site was chosen despite the very lengthy community consultation process.
"In the community consultations … we did indicate that there are other sites that were more suitable. That didn't appear to come to fruition," she said.
"None of this crowd here today say we don't need it. We just want the right place and the right service for people who need it."
