The establishment of HRA is long overdue as a platform to acknowledge Australia’s harm reduction achievements, advocate for change and an expansion of services, and recognise the people who have consistently and passionately opened themselves up to criticism in their lobbying for evidence-based policies, programs and peer-based
Executive drug user organisations.
I have many years of professional and lived experiences of Australia’s harm reduction services. Nationally and locally, across 4 Australian states and territories, I have had direct involvement in the establishment of 2 drug user organisations, and sourced funding to open seven needle and syringe programs (including vending machines). In leadership roles, I have had the fortune to truly understand, and listen to the voices of Australians who use drugs, and been able to respond by developing a variety of harm reduction and demand reduction services. I have worked in prisons, I have experienced discrimination, and I was a member of the writing group for Australia’s 1st National Hepatitis C Strategy.