Changing the Culture of Alcohol Use in New South Wales (Section 1)
Outcomes of the NSW Summit on Alcohol Abuse 2003 |
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A. PROMOTING SAFE AND RESPONSIBLE DRINKING
Government Response
The Government is encouraging safe and responsible drinking through a range of programs and partnerships which will be continued and expanded. PartnershipsGovernment The Government recognises that the problem of alcohol abuse affects all levels of government at local, state and national levels. Following the Industry Industry involvement is crucial to reducing the level of alcohol abuse. The Government consulted closely with the industry prior to and during the The NSW Liquor Industry Consultative Council (LICC) is chaired by the Department of Gaming and Racing and made up of eleven peak liquor industry associations, two unions and the Labor Council of NSW. The LICC advises the Government on responsible drinking initiatives and will have an ongoing role in advising the Government on action arising from the Key initiatives anticipated over the next two years involving the industry include: § a review with a view to modernising the Code of Practice for Responsible Promotion of Liquor Products Community Partnerships with existing community networks will be expanded (Rec. 1.5). The Government is committed to working in partnership with Aboriginal people in Non-government The Government will work closely with the non-government sector, such as the Network of Alcohol and Drug Agencies (NADA) and the Alcohol and other Drugs Council of Australia (ADCA), in implementing key actions and responses to the Government agencies will continue to work with ADCA on the annual Drug Action Week in Community information and education In 2004, a new Alcohol Education and Information Taskforce will be established to promote consistent and coordinated community information programs across the State, including positive and sustained messages about safe and responsible drinking (Rec. 1.3). Key New South Wales agencies, including NSW Police, NSW Health, the Department of Gaming and Racing, the Roads and Traffic Authority, the Department of Community Services, the Motor Accidents Authority, the Department of Education and Training, and the Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation will expand the current range of information and education programs on alcohol. Information and education program initiatives to be undertaken by these agencies are outlined in greater detail throughout this document.
Government Response
An Alcohol Education and Information Taskforce will be established to promote consistent and coordinated community information programs across the State. It will be convened and co-chaired by NSW Health and an independent member. The taskforce will include Government departments, independent experts, drug and alcohol representatives and non-government agencies, the liquor industry, a representative of the Alcohol Beverages Advertising Code Management Committee of the Advertising Standards Board, sporting organisations and community representatives. The taskforce will act as a catalyst and facilitator for enhanced and improved communications, and education and information about alcohol harms and abuse. It will be responsible for promoting the coordination, consistency and quantum of information and education programs, and will: § monitor individual agency communication efforts and responsibilities in respect of alcohol Specific communication and information initiatives elsewhere in the Government’s response to the § education on liquor laws, including supplying alcohol to minors and promoting the health benefits and dangers of alcohol use, particularly for young people (Rec. 10.1) All communication initiatives will involve research and consultation with relevant leaders and representatives from different communities and demographic groups. They will identify the need for components targeting young people, Aboriginal communities, ethnic communities, women, rural and remote communities, as well as the broader population (Rec. 2.15). A NSW Alcohol Communication Plan will be developed by NSW Health to build on current State and Commonwealth Government education and information initiatives relating to alcohol abuse. It will include all the initiatives being undertaken by government agencies represented on the taskforce.
Government Response
The new Alcohol Education and Information Taskforce will consider how best to promote the NHMRC Guidelines. The incorporation of the NHMRC Guidelines into the Alcohol Beverages Advertising Code is addressed at Recommendation 1.7. The Government will recommend that the NSW Liquor Industry Consultative Council promote the use of plain-English, straightforward information about standard drinks and responsible drinking on packaging and labels, as has been done by a major spirits manufacturer through use of a new standard drinks logo. Part D of Section 8 provides detail on the role of liquor accords in reducing alcohol harm and promoting safe drinking practices. The Department of Gaming and Racing will facilitate, monitor and evaluate accords throughout the State. A best practice liquor accord model will be developed. It will direct accords towards Community Drug Action Teams (CDATs) to foster greater community involvement. The Premier’s Department’s new toolkit for CDATs will include advice and guidance on alcohol abuse issues, such as the role that CDATs can play in local liquor accords, including initiating and fostering their establishment. The work of CDATs is discussed further at Recommendation 1.5. Liquor licensing conditions applying to venues hosting major public and community events encourage responsible and safe drinking practices through specific requirements. These conditions include obligations to sell, serve and promote alcohol responsibly, prevent intoxication, and responsibly manage the venue. To assist public and community event managers, Safer celebrations – a planning guide for event managers in NSW, which contains information on safe drinking, has been issued (Rec. 1.10). The Government’s Office of Protocol and Special Events will work with other agencies to consider safe drinking practices at major events. Government funding requirements under the International Sporting Events Program (ISEP) will include the development of appropriate alcohol management policies and practices to encourage safe drinking practices, including glass management strategies.
Government Response
Government alcohol programs currently make extensive use of community networks, and this will be extended over the next four years. Building on community drug action
Community Drug Action Teams (CDATs) are coalitions of community representatives and local agencies originally set up to address illicit drug issues and supported by the Community Drug Strategies in the NSW Premier’s Department. There are now nearly 80 CDATs across New South Wales, with over 1,000 people involved. Fifty percent of CDATs already spend half their time on alcohol issues. By 30 June 2003 almost $1 million in grants had been distributed to over 180 CDAT projects. Approximately 80 percent of these contained some component which addressed alcohol misuse. Activities included community education and awareness campaigns, workshops on responsible drinking, community forums to discuss and deal with local alcohol misuse issues and training for local youth workers. A Community Drug and Alcohol Program will involve communities in addressing the problem of alcohol abuse: § CDATs will be encouraged to address alcohol issues if they are not already doing so. Building on partnerships with local libraries
The Drug Information at Your Local Library (Di@YLL) project will be expanded to include more information resources on alcohol. Di@YLL is located within the 382 local libraries across New South Wales and currently provides illicit drug information for local communities. The project involves training for library staff on drug and alcohol issues and the development of partnerships between library staff, CDATs and local services across New South Wales. Building on partnerships with Schools as Community Centres
This program provides prevention and early intervention support for families with young children and reduces the impact of disadvantage for children entering school. The program will be expanded during 2004 (Rec. 2.30). Partnerships with the health profession
GPs see approximately 80 percent of the population each year, provide continuity of care over time and are seen as credible sources of health information by their patients. The Government will work with frontline health workers such as GPs, nurses, doctors and community health workers to build their skills and effectiveness in addressing alcohol related problems (Recs. 3.3-3.5). Building on partnerships with sporting groups
The NSW Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation promotes responsible service compliance to sporting organisations in A pilot Good Sports Accreditation Program is currently underway in New South Wales (Rec. 1.9). The Alcohol Education and Rehabilitation Foundation and the NSW Motor Accident Authority will conduct alcohol attitudes and behaviours surveys with New South Wales sporting organisations. The Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation will work with the Australian Drug Foundation to assist the expansion of the Good Sports Accreditation Program in New South Wales (Rec. 1.9). Building on partnerships with the liquor industry
The Department of Gaming and Racing, working with industry and NSW Police, will promote an expanded number of liquor accords across the State, forging stronger community, industry and stakeholder links. Community Drug Action Teams (CDATs) will be encouraged to expand their participation in liquor accords (Recs. 1.1 and 1.2).
B. ENGAGING THE MEDIA AND ENCOURAGING RESPONSIBLE ALCOHOL ADVERTISING
Government Response
Engagement of media personnel
Community Drug Action Teams (CDATs) have been engaging local and regional media in relation to drug issues since the Drug Summit in 1999. The Mudgee CDAT, for example, has worked closely with the local newspaper to run feature articles on local drug issues and community action. Over the next four years, key Government health promotion, safety promotion and community information programs will work under the direction of the new Alcohol Education and Information Taskforce (Rec. 1.3) to: § engage and brief the media on alcohol harms and Government responses to alcohol problems Media guidelines for reporting alcohol issues
In response to the Drug Summit recommendations the Government developed and distributed 300 copies of a resource kit, Working with the Media - A commonsense guide for communities taking action to address drug related issues. Fifteen state-wide workshops were conducted for CDATs and workers with drug and alcohol agencies. The Australian National Council on Drugs (ANCD) is developing guidelines/industry ‘code of practice’ on the responsible reporting of drug and alcohol issues. CDATs and drug and alcohol workers will promote these to their local media to help build relationships and improve the content of alcohol use reporting and representation. Working with popular culture to prevent alcohol abuse and promote responsible use
In 2001, the Government worked with Channel Seven's prime time youth and family drama, Home and Away to develop a program addressing the issue of heroin use and family and community response. A national information number supplied by Lifeline was provided at the end of the program for viewers to contact for further information. The Alcohol Education and Information Taskforce will identify similar initiatives to be trialled over the next four years in relation to the problem of alcohol abuse. Publishing key statistics
Under the auspices of the taskforce, key agencies will be asked to identify simple and readily accessible Key Fact Sheets to be provided to the media. Fact Sheets provided to the Summit on Alcohol Abuse will be reviewed and published on the Government’s alcohol website. The promotion of alcohol use in the media is addressed in the Government’s response to Recommendation 2.27.
Government Response
The alcohol advertising self regulatory system (Alcohol Beverages Advertising Code and supporting mechanisms) was reviewed in 2003 under the direction of the Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy (MCDS). The Government has endorsed the outcome of the review (Rec. 10.5). New South Wales is a member of the National Committee for the Review of Alcohol Advertising (NCRAA) oversighting action on the reforms that flowed from the review. These will have a positive impact in reducing inappropriate advertising of alcohol and include: § inclusion of a preamble emphasising the code’s underlying philosophy and requiring that it be applied in spirit and intent The Government has secured industry agreement to incorporate a reference to the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) general guidelines into the code. The code will be amended so that advertisements for alcohol beverages must not encourage consumption that is in excess of, or inconsistent with the Australian Alcohol Guidelines. The amendment will be in place during 2004. The Government will monitor the impact of the recent changes to the code and ask the MCDS to ensure that the impact of the changes is properly evaluated. The Government will support further action at a Commonwealth level, if necessary. On 1 December 2003, the Government announced a review of alcohol products and promotions that may be deliberately targeted at minors. The review will consider how existing controls can be improved to ensure products and promotions do not encourage underage drinking or excessive consumption by legal age drinkers. The review will also consider what research is required to determine which types of beverages and marketing approaches are potentially detrimental to young people. The review will report to the Minister for Gaming and Racing later in 2004. Sponsorship of sporting events is addressed at Recommendation 2.25.
C. ENGAGING SPORTING CLUBS AND ASSOCIATIONS
Government Response
Promoting responsible service in sporting clubs and associations
Alcohol sold at a sporting event is subject to a liquor licence and to responsible alcohol serving conditions - including the adoption of the NSW liquor industry’s Code of Practice for Responsible Promotion of Liquor Products and the display of signage highlighting some of the key liquor laws. The Government has introduced mandatory responsible service of alcohol (RSA) training for all liquor servers and sellers. From 1 January 2004, all licensees and permanent bar staff of licensed sporting venues had completed RSA training. From 1 July 2004, all casual staff (including volunteers) of licensed sporting clubs must have completed mandatory responsible services of alcohol training. Issues related to the responsible service of alcohol are dealt with in more detail in the responses to Recommendations 2.12, 7.10 and 7.13. The NSW Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation is promoting responsible service compliance to sporting organisations in Promoting the Good Sports Accreditation Program
A pilot Good Sports Accreditation Program is currently underway in New South Wales, involving 15 sporting clubs from Australian football, cricket, rugby league, rugby union, surf life saving and touch football. The pilot is operating in the area between Wollongong, Goulburn, Queanbeyan, Thredbo and Eden. The Alcohol Education and Rehabilitation Foundation and the NSW Motor Accident Authority will work together over the next few years to conduct alcohol attitudes and behaviours surveys with New South Wales cricket, rugby league, rugby union and life saving organisations. The Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation will work with the Australian Drug Foundation towards an implementation plan that will assist the expansion of the program in New South Wales to increase compliance with responsible service of alcohol principles in sports clubs and associations, and promote safe drinking practices and healthy lifestyles. Promoting responsible service at sporting events
The new Alcohol Education and Information Taskforce will encourage agencies to use sporting identities to promote responsible drinking attitudes in Government supported social marketing campaigns. Government supported sporting events such as those funded through the International Sporting Events Program (ISEP) and those managed by the Office of Protocol and Special Events, will ensure that funding requirements include appropriate alcohol management policies and practices, including glass management strategies. The Minister for Tourism and Sport and Recreation will ask the Sport and Recreation Minister’s Council to look at ways to promote adherence to safe drinking practices at sporting events in Australian through national sporting organisations and local sports organisations. The Department of Tourism Sport and Recreation will: § encourage New South Wales sporting clubs and associations to adopt codes of conduct that include safe drinking attitudes and practices amongst their players and members The Department of Gaming and Racing will review the existing licence conditions of major sporting venues to determine the appropriateness of the current conditions that apply to each venue and to ensure they promote the responsible service and consumption of alcohol.
D. PROVIDING INFORMATION FOR PARENTS AND YOUNG PEOPLE
Government Response
The new Alcohol Education and Information Taskforce will identify initiatives to target the information needs of parents and carers, and will consider the effectiveness of current efforts to encourage parents, carers and family members to be role models for young people. The Government has developed information and tools for parents and carers to increase their awareness about the issues related to the supply of alcohol to underage young people, particularly in relation to holding parties and safe celebrations: § The Department of Gaming and Racing’s information leaflets on the legal consequences of supplying alcohol to underage young people and tips on holding safe celebrations. These are available from the Department and its website at www.dgr.nsw.gov.au The Department of Community Services will undertake new research on ways to improve support for parents and carers in managing alcohol abuse within the family setting. This research will be promoted through the Department’s website and will form the basis for a range of initiatives to provide information and support to families. Recognising the special needs of Aboriginal communities, NSW Health will undertake a new information and education program for families and carers of people with an alcohol or drug problem in Aboriginal communities in New South Wales. New resources will be delivered in 2004 through culturally appropriate channels. The Government will also continue to reach parents and young people through schools: § The Department of Education and Training will produce a new pamphlet for parents including information about alcohol consumption and tips for communicating with young people about celebrating safely. It will be distributed to all schools with the End of Year Celebration kit during 2004.
Government Response
Informing young people
The Government currently provides key programs to inform young people and protect them from the harms of alcohol abuse. This is done in a variety of ways, including information and education programs and resources. Over the next four years, the Government will provide more targeted information to young people concerning safe drinking practices, legal issues and the harmful consequences that can arise from binge drinking. Key initiatives to be continued include: § The NSW Health/MetroScreen Play Now Act Now peer education project encouraging young people aged 18 to 25 to develop creative video/film messages on drugs and alcohol issues in a state-wide competition and film festival. The theme for the competition and festival in 2004 will be ‘Your Shout’. Key new initiatives will include: § Expansion of the Supply Means Supply information program for school students on the health and legal consequences of alcohol consumption and secondary supply of alcohol to minors. This is currently being implemented in Taree, Port Macquarie, the Central Coast and Kempsey, and will be expanded into a larger public information program (Rec. 8.15). Recommendation 5.2 also outlines how young people will be educated about preventing binge drinking, what to do if things go wrong, and how to look after each other. Recommendation 5.9 provides more detail on the implementation of a communication strategy on the new zero blood alcohol limit for L and P plate drivers. All high school road safety education and novice driver resource materials will be updated to reflect this new law and inform young drivers about the serious consequences of drinking and driving. Involving young people in alcohol harm reduction programs
The involvement of young people in developing information and education programs is critical to their success. This is promoted in the 2002-2006 NSW Youth Policy, Working Together Working for Young People, which was developed in consultation with young people throughout New South Wales, along with youth organisations and local government. It is also promoted in Taking Participation Seriously, a kit that helps organisations involve young people in decision making processes that affect them. The Commission for Children and Young People has produced the Ask the children series to make young peoples’ views on different topics available so that they can be considered when developing messages and services. An additional information sheet on alcohol abuse and drinking will be developed to add to the series. This will provide an insight into what children and young people know about alcohol, why they drink, how they obtain alcohol and how and where they access help when they need it. The information sheet will be available on the Commission’s website. An Aboriginal Youth Leadership project will be developed by the Office of Children and Young People in 2004. It will promote the participation of Aboriginal young people within the community, healthy lifestyles and positive role models. Future consideration will be given to the possibility of Aboriginal scholarships to promote young Aboriginal leaders. Community Drug Action Teams (CDATs) and liquor accords will be encouraged to include young people as facilitators and in consultations with local communities and in community forums. Peer support programs for young people
Under the NSW Youth Alcohol Action Plan 2001-2005, a range of local programs have targeted issues associated with alcohol use impacting on young people including Youth in the Know Camps (peer support project) and the Young Women and Alcohol Project (peer support project in the Blue Mountains). A new NSW Youth Alcohol Action Plan 2005-2009 will update the current plan. NSW Health will continue to develop a range of local programs targeted at alcohol use impacting on young people. It will work with youth organisations such as Manly Drug Education and Counselling Centre, Youth Solutions and Holyoake to develop peer led education and support programs that can also be used by community centres, youth groups and schools. In 2004, the Office of Children and Young People in partnership with local councils will host four regional forums as part of a Youth Forum Program, to be managed and facilitated by young people. The forums will include a component on alcohol and safety, and will provide an opportunity for young people to raise and discuss their concerns about alcohol use. One of these forums will focus on Aboriginal young people and will, among other things, focus on the nature of youth peer support mechanisms in Aboriginal communities. A new program, PALS (peer led alcohol lessons for students) will become available in New South Wales schools in 2004. Developed with the Peer Support Foundation, the program will involve activities for junior high school students. Older students will be trained as peer leaders. The program will increase students’ knowledge and understanding of alcohol and its effects. As part of the Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE) curriculum at schools, students are taught to establish support networks of adults and peers and identify people and services that can provide support (Recs. 2.28, 2.29 and 5.2). These initiatives also relate to Recommendations 2.18 and 6.5.
E. ADDRESSING ALCOHOL ABUSE IN ABORIGINAL COMMUNITIES
Government Response
Supporting Aboriginal communities and families
The Government is finalising Two Ways Together, Partnerships: A new way of doing business with Aboriginal people, a plan to build stronger and more effective partnerships between the Government and Aboriginal communities. The plan will aim to ensure that services are delivered in culturally appropriate ways to address seven priority areas – health, education, economic development, justice, families and young people, culture and heritage, and housing and infrastructure. The Yareka Research Project has been established by the Department of Community Services to investigate ways in which the principles of self-determination can be incorporated into all decisions affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Supporting drug and alcohol programs for Aboriginal communities
NSW Health, the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council of NSW and the Office of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health have established the Aboriginal Drug and Alcohol Network (ADAN). ADAN was established to provide support and professional development opportunities for Aboriginal drug and alcohol workers. NSW Health has also funded a fulltime drug and alcohol policy officer at the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council (Rec. 3.8). NSW Health in consultation with the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council will develop an information and education program for families and carers of people with an alcohol or drug problem in Aboriginal communities in New South Wales. The aim of the project will be to equip families and carers of Aboriginal alcohol and drug users with information, treatment options and self-care tips. In particular, Indigenous workshops will be conducted in the New England/North West region for Indigenous and non-Indigenous health service workers, and Indigenous communities. An Indigenous cultural context for exploring addiction issues will be provided. The Government will develop a proposal for rural substance abuse prevention trials. These will be tailored to the needs of local communities with significant Aboriginal populations and will address alcohol, inhalant and illicit drug issues (Rec. 8.42). An Aboriginal drug and alcohol website will be established as a joint project between the Network of Alcohol and Drug Agencies and the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council. The website will include information for Aboriginal health workers and Aboriginal communities and allow for an electronic network of Aboriginal drug and alcohol workers to be established. Supporting local approaches by Aboriginal communities
The needs of Aboriginal communities are being addressed through the establishment of Aboriginal CDATs and specific programs to address drug and alcohol misuse in Aboriginal communities. Regionally based drug and alcohol education resources for parents and families are being developed in conjunction with CDATs and local Aboriginal communities. In the Illawarra/South East region, a booklet titled Koori Family Matters, was distributed in 2003. A bilingual resource, Dharawal Family Matters, is currently being produced in South Western/Western Sydney. Resources for Western New South Wales and the New England/North West region will be completed during 2004, followed by an additional resource for Aboriginal communities in Northern Sydney. Over the next four years the number of Aboriginal Drug Action Teams and Aboriginal representation on CDATs will be expanded where communities identify a need. In the first two years, two Aboriginal community workers will be employed to work with three high risk communities in the New England/North West, Western New South Wales and Riverina Murray regions, to identify resources, conduct workshops, and develop community action plans and new resources. The action plans will build on the capacity of Indigenous workers and enhance the leadership skills of Elders and community leaders in managing alcohol abuse in their respective communities. They will help build sustainable long term local action around managing alcohol abuse. The action plans will audit what assets are available in each of the three communities and assess the range of alcohol abuse services that are delivered by Government and non-government organisations. The action plans will identify gaps in service provision and identify ways to achieve integrated alcohol abuse service delivery at the local level. The Government has established Aboriginal Community Patrols in communities across New South Wales and is proposing to establish further community patrols in Condobolin, Coonamble and Walgett (Recs. 9.27 and 9.28). The Attorney General's Department will continue to support Aboriginal community youth projects with grants which enable communities to design and implement their own programs that recognise and address the risk factors that young Aboriginal people face. Aboriginal community liquor accords will be trialled in Aboriginal communities in areas of high need over the next four years. These will provide models which could be used for local application elsewhere in communities throughout New South Wales. An Aboriginal specific No More. It’s Our Law responsible drinking campaign will be introduced in licensed venues in Aboriginal communities. This will be developed by the Department of Gaming and Racing and be based on the successful No More. It’s the Law campaign. A discussion paper on the supply and control of alcohol in Aboriginal communities will be developed by the Department of Gaming and Racing in consultation with Aboriginal stakeholders and key Government agencies (Rec. 8.41). Peer support programs for Aboriginal communities
In 2004, four regional forums will be held as part of a Youth Forum Program, to be managed and facilitated by young people. The forums will include a component on alcohol and safety. One of these forums will focus on Aboriginal young people and will, among other things, focus on the nature of youth peer support mechanisms in Aboriginal communities (Rec. 1.11). The Premier’s Department will manage a project in 2004 to identify the scope of an illicit drugs peer education initiative. Consideration will be given to the potential of the initiative to also address alcohol misuse, as well as the potential to provide peer education within Aboriginal communities.
F. RETAILER ALERT SYSTEM
Government Response
The Government will investigate the alerts system operating in the United Kingdom as it applies to presentation, naming and packaging issues rather than advertising issues. Recommendations 1.7 and 1.8 address the issues related to alcohol advertising. The Government considers that the concept of an alerts system would support the Guidelines on Naming, Packaging and Promotion of Alcohol Beverages issued by the National Alcohol Beverage Industries Council. An alerts system would also help encourage compliance by manufacturers because products that do not comply with the guidelines would be the subject of an industry sponsored alert issued by an industry body. Accordingly, the Government will work with the liquor industry to introduce a retailer alert system managed by the industry and supported by all Australian jurisdictions – so that retailers are encouraged to remove offending products from sale until breaches of the guidelines are rectified in respect of the particular product. Key features of an alerts system in Australia are likely to include: § liquor industry identification of non-compliant products, packages and promotions To expedite the introduction of a retailer alert system in New South Wales which might serve as a trial for other Australian states and territories, the Government will invite the liquor industry and the Commonwealth to participate in a Working Party to be established with the aim of having the new system in place in New South Wales by 2005. The Working Party will consider issues such as implications for competition laws. If necessary, the Government will ask the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to expedite consideration of any competition policy issues associated with a retailer alert scheme. The Government will also ask the working party to consider the nexus between liquor licence operations and compliance with retailer alerts. The working party will also consider ways that the broader community could support the operation of an alert system.
G. RESOURCING ALCOHOL ABUSE INITIATIVES
Government Response
The costs of alcohol abuse across Australia are significant, and tackling the consequences requires significant public expenditure. In a recent report titled Counting the Cost: Estimates of the Social Cost of Drug Abuse in Australia 1998-99 funded by the Commonwealth Government, it was estimated that the cost of alcohol abuse to Australia during this period was $7.5 billion. The NSW Government already devotes very significant public resources to dealing with the problems of drug and alcohol abuse. Currently the NSW Government is spending over $500 million over a four year period on drug and alcohol programs. In an audit of specific alcohol programs issued during the Summit, the Government identified $190 million in more than 120 specifically targeted programs tackling alcohol abuse across 20 Government agencies. Significant additional funds are also spent on managing the downstream consequences of alcohol abuse – for example, the costs of inpatient care for patients suffering diseases associated with long term alcohol abuse, or road victims who have incurred lifelong injuries due to accidents involving drink driving, or the enormous cost of policing alcohol related incidents or violence and community disorder. The Government will examine funding of new programs and enhance other programs tackling alcohol abuse by reconfiguration of existing programs, generating savings from reducing the levels and costs of abuse, or greater efficiencies in programs and coordination of programs. Each agency will be asked to review the effectiveness and outcomes of all existing alcohol abuse program expenditure, and to consider whether existing resources are optimally allocated. Each agency will undertake such a review and identify cost effective, outcome focussed options for consideration by the Government. Where appropriate, existing program funding may be enhanced or reassigned to higher priorities. Given the long term nature of any strategy to reduce alcohol abuse, it is anticipated that individual agencies will seek additional funding over the next ten years to tackle the problem of alcohol abuse. Funding bids will be based on the principles espoused by the The Government will continue to work with the Australian Government to examine cost-shared funding partnership approaches, which have been particularly beneficial in the delivery of illicit drug programs. For example, consultations with the Alcohol Education and Rehabilitation Foundation (AERF) have commenced and work towards the development of a Policy Partnership on Preventing Alcohol Abuse will be undertaken over the next year. |