On International Harm Reduction Day AIVL hosted an online forum to talk about ‘Harm Reduction’ in Australia. Where have we come from? What is happening now? What do we want for the future?
As we move into an era of drug decriminalisation, drug checking, peer-led services, increasing criminal sanctions for vape smokers, and injectable opioid dependence treatment, we reflect on our past lessons and achievements, what is changing across the country, and how world events might affect us.
How can we learn from the past to get to where we want to be in future?
Chris Gough
AIVL President and Executive Director of the Canberra Alliance for Harm Minimisation and Advocacy
AIVL & CAHMA
Chris Gough reflects on Australia’s history of harm reduction, the current environment, and what we would like to see in the future from the perspective of our community.
Morgan Claridge
The Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care, interim Australian Centre for Disease Control.
Acting Assistant Director of the Blood Borne Viruses, Sexually Transmissible Infections, and Torres Strait Health Policy Section
Morgan speaks about the Sixth National Hepatitis C Strategy 2024-2030 with a focus on harm reduction.
Piroska Allaki
Alcohol and Other Drugs Branch of the Department of Health
Assistant Director of the Drug and Alcohol Policy Section
Piroska spoke about the National Drug Strategy and the Australian Government’s role in illicit drug use harm reduction.
Emma Kill
QuIVAA
Chief Executive Officer
Emma discussed the process of implementing Queensland’s first peer-led drug-checking service.
Judy Chang
INPUD - the International Network of People who Use Drugs
Executive Director
Judy reflected on the first-time inclusion of the words ‘Harm Reduction’ at the recent Commission on Narcotic Drugs held in Vienna in March 2024.
Nick Kent
Students for Sensible Drug Policy
Co-National Director
Nick spoke about the development of Harm Reduction International 2023’s ‘Australian Declaration’ and how we can use it to advocate for more change.