It was in 1970 that I first began working with drug addicted people in Kings Cross, Sydney, Australia. So, for the past 45 years, I have been working, day after day, with people affected by alcohol and other drugs, both legal and illegal. Also, along with Reverend Ted Noffs, I helped create Life Education Centres. […]

Robert ‘Bob’ Debus was born in Sydney and educated at The University of Sydney. Before serving two terms in the New South Wales parliament (1981/88 and 1995/2007), he worked as a solicitor, publisher and ABC radio broadcaster, producing Radio National programs including the first editions of the program Background Briefing. […]

Bronwyn has over 30 years experience in mental health, and more recently, alcohol and other drug services, and is a strong advocate for harm reduction services, including a health-first approach to substance use and decriminalisation of personal use and possession of small amounts of illicit drugs. Bronwyn is currently the CEO of Directions Health Services, a specialist alcohol and other…

Dr Bronwyn Hudson, MBBS (Hons), DCH, MLLR, BCom (Hons), is a Doctor in the Northern Rivers of NSW. Based in Bangalow, she holds positions at Lismore Base Hospital, The Tweed Hospital and Byron Central Hospital. Dr Hudson also runs a drug and alcohol clinic in Bangalow. Dr Hudson is Chair of the Byron Shire Medical Council, a Fellow of the…

The evidence is clear. In terms of rights, dignity, families, economics and lives – harm reduction is a no-brainer. I support Harm Reduction Australia so we can bring sophisticated, mature and evidence-based change to the way drugs and the people who use them are considered in our society. Professor Carla Treloar is Deputy Director and Head of the Hepatitis Research…

Harm reduction works because it is driven by affected communities and science. It is compassionate, pragmatic and non-judgmental as it accepts people for who they are, where they are at and listens to what people need. Harm reduction is effective and cost-effective health, social and economic policy. Carrie Fowlie is a systems advocate who promotes evidence-based policy, public health, social…

Charles is currently undertaking a Research Masters at the Burnet Institute, Melbourne, where he also works as a part time Community Engagement Co-ordinator. His MA is focused on examining service user perspectives on the provision of Long-Acting Injectable Buprenorphine (LAIB) within the context of wider Opioid Dependence Treatment Program offerings. Since coming to Australia in 2016, he has enjoyed senior…

Chloe is the Victorian Project Officer for Family Drug Support Australia (FDS) and is responsible for running support groups, community workshops and the FDS flagship program, ‘Stepping Stones to Success’ for families effected by problematic alcohol and drug use. She has a background in case management for people receiving unemployment benefits, is a Board Member of Students for Sensible Drug…

Harm reduction has been proven to be the most effective strategy for addressing the problems of drugs in our society. The scientific evidence and the personal testimonies to its success simply cannot be denied.Old fashioned strategies such as the now universally discredited “war on drugs” have proved to be nothing more than a war on drug-users and the origins of…

I am delighted to lend my support Harm Reduction Australia, having to remind myself that in Australia in the 21st Century, we still have to push for Harm Reduction to hold the place of pre-eminence that it should, in any modern National Drugs Policy. As a simple emergency physician, I see those who object to harm reduction in the same…