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Darwin AOD Agency Forum reportBackgroundThe Australian National Council on Drugs (ANCD) has determined it will hold an alcohol and other drugs (AOD) agency forum in conjunction with its meetings in each State and Territory. Through the forums, the ANCD is able to ensure that the views of non-government, community-based organisations that deal with AOD issues are considered as part of drug policy advice. The ANCD produces a report from each forum which aims to provide a brief description of the issues raised by forum participants. These reports are available on the ANCD’s internet site to enable forum participants and interested others to access the issues that were discussed. The ANCD also provides a copy of each report to the Premier or Chief Minister, as well as the Minister/s responsible for AOD issues in each jurisdiction, to ensure that the Government is aware of the issues raised. It should also be noted that the issues raised at the forums are not necessarily areas that the ANCD agrees with or is able to address. They do however provide ANCD members with an important insight into community concerns and perceptions about specific AOD issues. In addition, the ANCD believes that it has an obligation to participants to report the issues and concerns raised in an unfettered manner. Darwin 2005Approximately 60 people from Darwin and remote areas of the Northern Territory participated in the ANCD’s AOD agency forum, which was held at the Novotel Hotel, Darwin, on 9 June 2005. The forum participants included representatives from a range of non-government organisations and government departments. Professor Margaret Hamilton, in her capacity as Co-Deputy Chairperson, officially welcomed participants to the forum and acknowledged the traditional land owners. She advised that it had been two years since an ANCD Forum had been held in Darwin and she was looking forward to hearing from participants about the drug and alcohol issues that are particularly relevant (and at times exclusive) to the Northern Territory. Professor Hamilton introduced the Executive Officer of the ANCD, Mr Gino Vumbaca who provided a presentation that:
At the conclusion of his presentation, Mr Vumbaca opened the floor for questions and/or comments about current and emerging AOD issues in the Northern Territory. The following is a brief summary of the main issues that were raised.
Participants highlighted that the NT Government were proposing to move responsibility for night patrols to government rather than non-government and community-controlled organisations. This was concerning given evaluations of this initiative had established that it was effective and successful for preventing and reducing the harms associated with alcohol consumption in indigenous communities. Associated Professor Ted Wilkes responded that he was chairing the recently established ANCD National Indigenous Drug and Alcohol Committee (NIDAC). His role is to provide expert policy and program advice to governments on indigenous alcohol and other drug use and related harms, and to work closely with governments, non-government organisations and committees already established to respond to Indigenous drug and alcohol issues. He acknowledged participants’ support for the non-government and community-controlled night patrol initiatives and requested that the ANCD’s Northern Territory based representative, Ms Kim Gates keep NIDAC informed of issues that may require their attention and consideration. Participants questioned ANCD’s position on the protection of human rights, given prohibition on illicit drug use and the increase in prisons and people imprisoned. ANCD members advised that it was currently drafting an Alcohol and Other Drugs Charter that recognises fundamental principles of human rights relevant to drug users, the whole population, children/youth, parents and family members. Members also explained that the Council does not advocate for law reform, but does provide advice about at risk populations (such as prisoners) and focuses on supporting people adversely affected by drug use. Participants highlighted that alcohol and tobacco are particularly relevant to the Northern Territory, given the comparatively high prevalence of use and the subsequent impacts on Indigenous mortality and morbidity. ANCD members explained that traditionally its focus had been on illicit drugs but this is evolving to tobacco and alcohol in recognition that tobacco and alcohol are responsible for the most harm associated with drugs in our country. Professor Hamilton advised that she had been commissioned by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing to develop a new National Alcohol Strategy and had just completed some consultations in Darwin. Participants were concerned about the difficulty for remote Indigenous communities to access treatment given the extensive travel that is required and time spent away from family. Participants were unanimous in their support for residential rehabilitation services that were community-controlled. It was suggested that resources should be invested in training the community so that it could then manage the treatment services itself. There was discussion about the inadequacy of residential detoxification programs for youth. While it was acknowledged that some services could accommodate youth, the referrals were not coming through. It was suggested that this could be due to the service not being youth specific. Council Members referred to a similar situation in Victoria, however after a service identified itself as a youth specific service referrals occurred. Participants commented on the lack of integration and treatment for people with drug and mental health problems. It was suggested that AOD workers required mental health training to allow preliminary assessment to identify depression and anxiety so that mental health specialists could then be called on to treat this condition. The success of Mental Health Workers in East Arnhem Land was cited. The Northern Territory Department of Health representative advised that a report of a review of alcohol and other drugs services was about to be released. Associated Professor Ted Wilkes again requested that Ms Kim Gates continue to keep NIDAC informed of treatment issues that are particularly relevant to the Northern Territory. Participants were extremely concerned about the use of kava and its effects in the Northern Territory. Kava was not traditionally part of Indigenous communities and culture but introduced by Pacific Islanders. Subsequent effects of scaling skin, damaged kidneys and brains were particularly highlighted by some participants. A Northern Territory Government representative explained that kava had been regulated in the Northern Territory to make it available as there was a history of substituting it for alcohol. There are some anecdotal reports that suggest the effects referred to above were a result of black market kava, as it was cut with flour (rather than the more pure government product). However some participants urged that this issue required resolution to remove kava from communities and to change communities’ attitudes towards its use rather than increasing access to the Northern Territory Government product. Associate Professor Wilkes committed to examining this issue and making representations to the ANCD. There was some discussion about General Practitioners prescribing practices in the NT and support for continuation of the training program that had been occurring. Participants reported that there was active trading in diverted pharmaceuticals, particularly benzodiazepines. Participants expressed strong support for the Federal Government’s ‘Opal’ fuel initiative to remove petrol from Indigenous communities. There was strong support for the extension of this initiative to all affected Indigenous communities. 9 June 2005
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