Happy NAIDOC Week 2009!

The Australian Drug Foundation wishes everyone a happy NAIDOC Week and encourages all Australians to get involved with NAIDOC events throughout the country.

NAIDOC Week 2009 runs from 5-12 July.

See www.naidoc.org.au for further details on how you can get involved. 

Thinking Drinking 3 (2009)

The Australian Drug Foundation is pleased to bring you the latest in the popular Thinking Drinking conference series, Thinking Drinking 3: Action for Change. Thinking Drinking 3: Action for Change will provide an exciting opportunity to be involved in clarifying and planning how to further the alcohol harm prevention agenda.

Too early to celebrate

The Australian Drug Foundation has today cautioned against popping the champagne corks after a distilled spirits body offered a minor and temporary concession in alcohol advertising. 

Click here to view the media release.

ADF at the Family Time-out Fun Day 

On Sunday March 22, members of the Australian Drug Foundation team visited Traralgon to help with a Family Time-out Fun Day. We handed-out helpful information on surviving trauma, following the tragic bushfires of February 7.

Advice on family wellbeing and ways of coping with stress were distributed to more than 1000 people affected by the fires. Kids grabbed balloons and hundreds queued for massages, manicures and make-up, thanks to the L’Oreal and Garnier glamour tents who accepted an invitation by the Australian Drug Foundation to participate.

The day included a performance by the Code One Victoria Police band, a celebrity volleyball match between celebrity athletes and emergency services. Thanks to the Australian Sports Commission, Active After-school Communities, beyondblue, Victoria Police and all other sponsors.

Picture: The Australian Drug Foundation’s Hayley Chalmers-Robinson hands a balloon to an excited customer.

Latest figures prove alcopop tax is hitting home

Between last May and January, the number of alcopops sold in Australia has dropped by a staggering 28 per cent - a total of 310 million standard drinks, according to new and independent figures released today by the Australian Drug Foundation. The figures hammer the final nail in the coffin of the liquor industry's campaign against the alcopop tax.

Click here to read the full report

Click here to view the statistics (PDF - 31KB)

ADF hits back at the liquor industry's
inaccurate data

On Wednesday February 25, The Australian newspaper ran an appalling editorial supporting the liquor industry’s arguments against a tax on alcopops. The journalist responsible for the editorial failed to see through the liquor industry’s shonky number crunching. The piece demonstrated a staggering disregard for the dangers of alcopops on young Australians.

Australian Drug Foundation CEO, John Rogerson, hit back:

Click here to read the full response

State Government to provide grants to sporting clubs affected by bushfires

The Australian Drug Foundation welcomes the State Government’s recent announcement to provide grants to sporting clubs affected by the recent fires. As stated ‘Premier John Brumby said sports grounds were some of the most important community facilities in fire-damaged towns and the money would help traumatized communities to re-established social ties’. He added ‘In terms of community rebuilding, one of the most important things to get communities back together again is to get them playing sport again, to get them focused around community facilities’. According to media reports the $3 million fund will provide grants of up to $100,000 to repair sporting facilities throughout the fire affected regions.

INVITATION TO THE 2009 NATIONAL DRUG AWARDS GALA DINNER

The nominations have been received and judging is underway in the 2009 National Drug and Alcohol Awards. The wider AOD sector publicly congratulates the winners and finalists at an annual NDAA Gala Dinner. This year, the Awards Gala Dinner will be in the Great Hall, Parliament House in Canberra on Friday 26 June.

Tickets are $50 (+ GST, ie $55) per person or a table of 10 for $500 (+ GST, is $550). To secure your tickets, go to http://www.drugawards.org.au/bookings/index.html or call the Awards coordinator on 0415 568 360

ARC linkage grant

The Australian Drug Foundation congratulates the joint team of researchers from Hunter New England Population Health, Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre and the Australian Drug Foundation on their success in securing an ARC Linkage Grant.

One hundred and twenty sports clubs in rural/regional New South Wales will be recruited to participate in the longitudinal study which aims to determine whether the Good Sports program is effective in reducing the overall level of alcohol consumption and the prevalence of at-risk alcohol consumption among members of community sports clubs. This information is crucial to our ongoing efforts to reduce alcohol-related harm throughout Australia

We would like to particularly congratulate the team of Associate Professor John Wiggers; Professor Robin Room; Dr Patrick McElduff; Mr Bosco C Rowland; Dr Jane Mallick; Associate Professor Colin Bell; Dr Luke Wolfenden; Mr Michael J Livingston and Ms Karen E Gillham for their work on this application.

For more information email druginfo@adf.org.au

AFL illicit drug policy a leader in the field

The Australian Drug Foundation today spoke out at the Australian Football League's press conference in support of the AFL's illicit drug policy.

'The AFL's illicit drug policy is one of the most rigorous drug policies in sport internationally, and we praise their commitment to the health and welfare of their players,' said the ADF Chief Executive, John Rogerson. 'We're pleased to see them take steps to continue to develop a culture which supports players, parents and other members of the community to reduce the likelihood of drug problems.'

Mr Rogerson urged parents to use the publicity around the AFL drugs policy to discuss drug issues with their children.

For our media release and more information about how to talk to your child about drugs click here.

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