News

Registration is open for the 4th National Indigenous Drug and Alcohol Conference, Showing Initiative: AOD responses required to close the gap by 2030, which will take place from 11 – 14 October 2016 in Adelaide, hosted this year by the Aboriginal Drug & Alcohol Council of South Australia.

Featuring leading experts in the field, the conference will address the contributing role that harmful alcohol and other drug use has on the health and life expectancy of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and the interventions that are required to close the gap in equality that exists between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians by the year 2030. The conference will also highlight emerging alcohol and other drug related issues that are threatening to further increase the gap if effective interventions are not put in place.

For the first time the National Indigenous Drug and Alcohol Conference will include a pre-conference workshop. Facilitated by Associate Professor James Ward, the workshop will focus on amphetamine type stimulants including crystal meth or ‘ice’ and will provide delegates with an opportunity to learn more about these substances and what interventions can be applied to address the harmful effects of their use. This focus will continue into the conference itself where a yarning circle will be held to develop an Indigenous specific response to the effects these drugs are having on individuals, families and communities.

NDRI and NCETA will have a strong presence at the conference and pre-conference workshop, with a number of researchers involved as presenters and chairs including Associate Professor Ted Wilkes, Professor Dennis Gray, Anna Stearne, Dr Kimberly Cartwright, Professor Anne Roche and Alan Trifonoff. NDRI’s Associate Professor Ted Wilkes will present the Noel Hayman Oration on the opening morning of the conference and will speak about the challenges of Aboriginal alcohol and other drugs policy, and the pressing need for Aboriginal Australians to be involved in the policy process.

For more information about the conference including program and registration visit http://nidaconference.com.au/