The interim report from the National Ice Taskforce was released this week by the Prime Minister, commenting on the report Mr Joyce said that ice was a 'dirty drug'.

"No class - the druggy version of picking your nose and eating it,” the Member for New England said.

“But it is loyal; it will stick with you to the end, and it's efficient too, gets to the end, socially, economically, personally quickly.”

While nose pickers have long been labelled as gross this is the first time they have been used to describe an addiction to an illicit substance.

Mr Joyce used an editorial in the Canberra Times this week to stir conversation about the rising use of ice.

“What disturbs me the most is how quickly we now all move on.

“That is the cruellest thing about this product – it makes those who are not customers not give a damn about those who are.

“They are a byline, away from their family, at best, a morbid curiosity,” he said.

The Taskforce has identified six key areas to guide work toward the development of the National Ice Action Strategy.

Focusing law enforcement actions, targeting primary prevention, improving access to early intervention, treatment and support services, supporting local communities to respond, improving tools for frontline workers and improving and consolidating research and data were the areas the strategy hopes to put a microscope to.

The Action plan is a welcome step forward for Tenterfield which is not immune to the ice problem.

Last month Police Inspector Garry Huard said he had witnessed a rise in drug related offences in Tenterfield and Glen Innes.

“No town is immune to drug problems and abuse of drugs does play a fairly significant part in what we investigate on a weekly basis,” he said.

“We are seeing an increase in ice use and a lot of the people we deal with are clearly affected by that drug, even victims are talking about their incident being related to ice use.”

The final report will be delivered to the next meeting of the Council of Australian Governments.