National Council: Treatment Works Week announcement

The Australian National Council on Drugs, the peak advisory body to Government on drug policy, established by the Prime Minister in March 1998, today announced a number of important projects, as part of its support for Treatment Works Week.

The Chairman of the Council, Major Brian Watters, stated "The Alcohol and Other Drugs Council of Australias (ADCA) Treatment Works Week is an excellent initiative. It enables prevention and treatment agencies, particularly those in the non-government sector, to celebrate their achievements, and share information with others in the alcohol and other drugs field".

Major Watters added, "The ANCD is committed to ensuring that effective treatments are recognised and are supported. For this reason, the ANCD has commissioned a project that will gather all the available information on individual treatment options, in order to provide evidenced-based advice on the maintenance, and in some cases introduction, of these treatments".

Mr Gino Vumbaca, Executive Officer for the Council added - "In addition to the project relating to treatment options, the Council has also commissioned work on a number of other projects, including;

• an investigation into the factors that contribute to young peoples use of drugs;

• a review of the programs aimed at reducing the supply and the demand for drugs in prisons;

• an analysis of heroin overdose factors; and

• a paper that traces the development, and achievements, of Australias drug policy and practices over the past 25 years.

Through these projects, the Council aims to promote a better understanding of drug related issues in our community, serving to inform public discussion and contribute to the development of policy".

Professor Ian Webster, an Executive Member of the ANCD and President of ADCA, the organisation responsible for coordinating Treatment Works Week, said, "I am particularly pleased that the ANCD today announced the projects it has commissioned. The organisations that have been engaged to conduct this work on behalf of the ANCD highlight the trend for organisations to work in partnership. By using the expertise of peak bodies and specialist agencies to tackle drug related issues of concern to the community, we are able to ensure our advice is of a high quality. Organisations such as the Australian Institute of Criminology, the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre and the University of Melbourne are leaders in their field, and their input into the advice the ANCD provides to Governments is critical". Summing up, Major Watters supported Professor Webster by saying, "Partnerships are an important cornerstone of Australias approach to drug policy. This is an area that the ANCD both reflects in its diverse membership, and supports as an important element in tackling drug issues in our community".

ANCD Commissioned Projects:

26 June 2000

Further Inquiries to:

Major Brian Watters, Chairman
02 9212 4000 or 0414 780 509

Gino Vumbaca, Executive Officer
02 6279 1650 or 0408 244 552

Top of page

Home | About ANCD | Current initiatives | Publications | Media releases | Meeting schedule | Asia-Pacific | NIDAC | Consultants register | Funding opportunities | Drugs in Australia | Links | Contact us

Whilst all care has been made to ensure only authorised material appears on this site, the Australian National Council on Drugs accepts no responsibility for inaccurate or false representations appearing herein.

© Australian National Council on Drugs 2007
Web design by Starkis Design