Drugs Conference to ask the hard questions

14 May 2012

The Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs Council Tas (ATDC) will tomorrow launch its biennial conference at the Hotel Grand Chancellor in Hobart.

Titled Challenging Conversations: Creating an Inclusive System, the conference promises to challenge the boundaries and ask the hard questions about drug treatment and law reform.

The close to 200 local and interstate delegates will challenge the way we think about the ATOD industry and the way services are provided.

“We need rigorous debate and genuine conversation if we are to overcome issues of exclusion and service fragmentation in the Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs (ATOD) field,” ATDC CEO Jann Smith said.

“It’s about getting people from the ATOD sector together with people from other related fields like justice, education and family support to really get to the nitty gritty of how we do our work”.

The key themes of the conference include embedding consumer choice as a tenant of policy and program development.

“Consumer rights are a huge issue in the ATOD sector” Ms Smith said.

“For too long the voice of Tasmanian ATOD consumers has not been heard in the policy development and planning of treatment services”.

“In fact, there is a strong desire within the sector to see a Tasmanian consumer led and driven organisation established”.

Other standout highlights of the conference include: (further details overleaf)

• Keynote speaker The Hon. Michael Kirby AC CMG, Former Justice of the High Court.
• Keynote speaker Professor David Adams, Social Inclusion Commissioner for Tasmania.
• Plenary speaker Annie Madden, EO of the Australian Injecting & Illicit Drug Users League (AIVL)
• A moderated session on drug legalisation featuring barrister Greg Barns, Anglicare’s Rev. Chris Jones and speakers from Correctional Health, The Link Youth Health and Drug Free Australia, moderated by ABC Hobart’s Leon Compton.
2012 also marks the first year of the Tasmanian Alcohol Tobacco and Other Drug Awards. The awards are supported by the Tasmanian Government and will be presented by The Hon. Michelle O’Byrne, Minister for Health, at the conference dinner on Tuesday night at the Mill on Morrison.

More details on the Awards will be released tomorrow.

What: Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs Council Biennial Conference
Where: Hotel Grand Chancellor
When: 15 & 16 May 2012

Abridged program
Full program available at www.atdc.org.au

Date Time Item Location

Tuesday
15 May 9:30 am Official open and welcome by Brian Ritchie.
Hotel Grand Chancellor
10:00 am Professor David Adams, Social Inclusion Commissioner. Hotel Grand Chancellor
11:00 am Session on consumer participation and representation in drug treatment settings, chaired by Annie Madden of AIVL. Hotel Grand Chancellor
1:45pm Should all Drugs be Legalised?
A moderated session featuring Greg Barns, Rev. Chris Jones, speakers from the Link Youth Health, Correctional Health and Drug Free Australia. Moderated by Leon Compton. Hotel Grand Chancellor
7:00 pm

8:45pm Conference Dinner including presentation of the inaugural Tasmanian Alcohol Tobacco and Other Drug Awards by Hon. Michelle O’Bynre MP, Minister for Health.

Awards will be presented at approximately 8:45pm
The Mill on Morrison
11 Morrison Street, Hobart
Wednesday 16 May 9:00 am Hon. Michael Kirby AC CMG, Former High Court Justice.
Topic: Global Harm Minimisation: The Strategy and Challenge of the UNDP Global Commission on HIV and the Law. Hotel Grand Chancellor
Alcohol, Tobacco and other Drugs Council Tas Inc.