ATODA Submissions

The Standing Committee on Justice and Community Safety announced an Inquiry into Penalties for Minor Offences and Vulnerable People in March 2023. ATODA made a submission in April 2023, focusing on the impact of fines and prosecution for non-payment of fines on vulnerable people, particularly people who use drugs, and alternative measures to fines. ATODA’s submission can be read at this link. ATODA looks forward to engaging with the Committee as this Inquiry progresses.

The ACT Government’s Budget consultation process is one of the ways that the Canberra community can inform how the ACT Government should invest in services and infrastructure. As the peak body for the ATOD sector in the ACT, ATODA’s submission to the 2023-24 Budget consultation process notes the ATOD sector’s important contribution to the wellbeing of the ACT community, particularly to those vulnerable to lower levels of wellbeing in relation to health outcomes and inclusion and belonging outcomes, as described in the ACT Wellbeing Framework.

The submission details the urgent need to increase core funding for specialist ATOD treatment and harm reduction services in the ACT and the need to fund a thorough evaluation of the implementation of the Drugs of Dependence (Personal Use) Amendment Act 2022. The need for increased funding for the ATOD sector has been highlighted by the ACT Government’s recent ATOD needs assessment, demand modelling for the ACT undertaken by the University of New South Wales (UNSW), and multiple recommendations from ACT Legislative Assembly Committee inquiries. ATODA’s submission can be read on the ACT Budget Consultation website at this link.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) sought responses to a consultation paper on proposed reforms to the regulation of nicotine vaping products, which sought feedback on a range of issues including border controls, pre-market TGA assessment, and minimum quality and safety standards. ATODA made a submission in January 2023 which is available at this link, and the TGA’s summary of input received through this consultation process is available here.

The Standing Committee on Justice and Community Safety announced in December 2022 an Inquiry into the Corrections and Sentencing Legislation Amendment Bill 2022. ATODA made a submission to this Inquiry in January 2023, focusing on the amendments related to a smoking ban at the Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC) and the need for evidence-based therapeutic support to assist with smoking cessation. ATODA’s submission can be read on the ACT Parliament website at this link. The Committee’s Report was tabled on 22 February 2023, and recommended that more information be provided to the Legislative Assembly regarding therapeutic supports for smoking cessation, following ATODA’s and others’ submissions. The Committee’s Report is available at this link and ATODA looks forward to the Government Response.

The Commonwealth Joint Committee on Law Enforcement is conducting an inquiry into the challenges and opportunities for law enforcement in addressing Australia’s illicit drug problem. ATODA made a submission on 13 January 2023, noting the current legislative reform underway in the ACT to address illicit drug use primarily as a health issue, and the importance of concurrent investment in the ATOD sector alongside policy and legislative reform. ATODA’s submission can be read at this link. ATODA is a founding member of the Australian Alcohol and Other Drugs Council (AADC), the national peak body representing the alcohol and other drugs sector, and ATODA also contributed to the development of AADC’s submission, which can be read at this link.

The ACT Government is developing the next ACT Drug Strategy Action Plan to guide the actions of ACT Health and other ACT Government directorates over the remaining years of the National Drug Strategy 2017-2026. The ACT Drug Strategy Action Plan aims to minimise the harms related to alcohol, tobacco and other drugs to the Canberra community; improve the health and wellbeing of the Canberra community; and reduce stigma experienced by people impacted by alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. Submissions were invited as part of a consultation process over September and October 2022, and ATODA’s submission can be read at this link.

The Standing Committee on Justice and Community Safety announced an Inquiry into Dangerous Driving in August 2022. ATODA made a submission on 30 September 2022, focusing on the need for improved prevention of drink driving in the ACT; the opportunity to review drug driving policy in the ACT; and the ATOD sector’s contribution to education and rehabilitation with respect to driving offences. ATODA’s submission can be read on the ACT Parliament website at this link.

ATODA also made a submission in January 2023 to the same Committee’s Inquiry into the Road Safety Legislation Amendment Bill 2022 and Crimes Legislation Amendment Bill 2022 presented 23 November 2022, which was related to issues covered by the Inquiry into Dangerous Driving. ATODA’s submission to that Inquiry can be read on the ACT Parliament website at this link. The Committee’s Report was tabled on 22 February 2023, which pleasingly made a recommendation regarding improved drug testing in relation to impairment. The Committee’s Report is available at this link and ATODA looks forward to the Government Response.

The Standing Committee on Justice and Community Safety recently inquired into Community Corrections. ATODA made a submission to the Inquiry focused on opportunities to improve the functioning of the Drug and Alcohol Sentencing List (DASL), given specialist AOD treatment providers in the ACT are a critical part of the DASL. ATODA’s submission can be read on the ACT Parliament website at this link. ATODA also provided witness testimony at a public hearing in February 2022. The Standing Committee’s Final Report was tabled on 27 July 2022 and can be read at this link. The Report made recommendations regarding eligibility and appropriate funding for the DASL, as articulated in ATODA’s submission and testimony. ATODA’s submission and testimony was also quoted at length in the ACT DASL Process and Outcome Evaluation Final Report released on 9 August 2022, which can be read at this link.

The ACT Government is seeking to modernise discrimination law to support best practice in promoting equal opportunity, respect for diversity and social inclusion. A discussion paper was released in late 2021, and more information about the project is available here: Discrimination Law Reform | YourSay ACT. ATODA made a submission in response to the discussion paper in January 2022, focusing on opportunities to reduce discrimination against people who use drugs and to support peer workers.

Following the release of the Public Exposure Draft of the Discrimination Amendment Bill 2022, ATODA made a supplementary submission in July 2022. Both submissions can be read at this link. The Listening Report from the consultation process noting two of ATODA’s recommendations was tabled in the Legislative Assembly in April 2022, and can be read at this link.

The Australian Government Department of Health undertook consultations regarding the National Tobacco Strategy 2022-2030 draft review in early 2022. ATODA made a submission in response to the draft encouraging the revision of the strategy to reflect better equality and health equity of subpopulations to reduce smoking rates. ATODA’s submission can be read here.

The ACT Budget consultation process is one of the ways that Canberrans, community groups and local organisations can have a say on how and where the Government should invest to boost services and infrastructure. As the peak body for AOD treatment services in the ACT, ATODA made a submission to the 2022-23 Budget consultation process noting the ATOD sector’s important contribution to the wellbeing of the ACT community, particularly to those vulnerable to lower levels of wellbeing in relation to health outcomes and inclusion and belonging outcomes, as described in the ACT Wellbeing Framework.

The submission detailed the urgent need to meet the Government’s election commitments to AOD services in the 2022–23 Budget, and recommended an increase in investment in the ATOD sector, given findings from recent Drug and Alcohol Service Planning modelling (DASPM) specific to the ACT that indicate up to 4,750 more people need treatment than are currently being treated through exiting services, with an investment gap of approximately $24 million per annum. ATODA’s submission can be read on the ACT Budget Consultation website at this link.

Every three years, the Office of Inspectors of ACT Correctional Services (OICS) conducts a Healthy Prison Review of the Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC), which seeks to ensure ACT Standards for Adult Correctional Services are met within the prison. ATODA made a submission to the Healthy Prison Review and made five recommendations, which included: prioritising the development and implementation of a comprehensive drug strategy; reviewing the existing AOD treatment available; implementing an inclusive engagement process with specialist AOD services and other stakeholders to address specific needs of detainees; and promoting smoking cessation within the prison. ATODA‘s submission is available at this link.

The National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction (NCETA) has been commissioned by the Australian Government Department of Health to lead a consultation process into the review and revision of the National Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) Workforce Development (WFD) Strategy. ATODA made a submission in response to NCETA’s discussion paper, noting the importance of a revised and goal-orientated strategy to ensure a sustainable skilled workforce. ATODA’s submission can be read at this link. The revised Strategy is expected to be completed by the end of 2022.

The Select Committee on the COVID-19 2021 Pandemic Response tabled its Report on 2 December 2021: the Report is available at this link. ATODA made a submission to this Inquiry highlighting the critical role the ATOD sector has played facilitating the ACT government’s public health response in recent months. Pleasingly, the Report drew heavily on ATODA’s submission for Recommendation 23: The Committee recommends that the ACT Government disseminate lessons learnt on the effective partnership between the ACT Government, Capital Health Network and the Alcohol Tobacco and Other Drug (ATOD) sector in reaching priority populations with the broader NGO sector. This formally records and highlights the ATOD sector’s good work during the pandemic. ATODA’s submission can be read on the ACT Parliament website at this link.

The Select Committee Inquiry into the Drugs of Dependence (Personal Use) Amendment Bill 2021 tabled its Report on 30 November 2021: the Report is available at this link. On 30 November the ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS) and ATODA issued a joint press release which is available at this link, welcoming the release of the Report. ATODA made a submission to this Inquiry highlighting the evidence base for decriminalisation and the need for increased investment in the ATOD sector. ATODA also gave evidence at a public hearing on 9 July 2021. Pleasingly the Report referenced ATODA’s submission and testimony on 21 occasions. ATODA’s submission can be read on the ACT Parliament website at this link.

The Standing Committee on Health and Community Wellbeing conducted a Review of ACT Health Programs — Children and young people and responses to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) over 2021-2022. In July 2021 ATODA made a submission to this Inquiry highlighting the impact of alcohol supply in the ACT, the need for better access for pregnant women to treatment for alcohol dependency, and the role of youth programs for ATOD use prevention and education. ATODA’s submission can be read on the ACT Parliament website at this link. On the 28 September the ATODA CEO Dr Devin Bowles also provided witness testimony at an Inquiry hearing. The Standing Committee tabled its Report on 3 May 2022, available at this link, and the Government Response was released 16 September 2022 and is available at this link.