Page 24 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 13 February 1990
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We must encourage the provision of information by doctors and other health and welfare workers covering the risk levels of alcohol use. The dissemination of the National Health and Medical Research Council's recommendations regarding responsible levels of drinking is particularly useful. I wonder how many members would fit within the criteria of the equivalent of four middies of full strength beer on average for men or two for women per day.
Cooperative arrangements with the alcohol industry have been a successful feature of preventive activities in other States. The server intervention programs and the "Home Safely" campaign which was recently launched in the ACT and other States are examples of this type of cooperative approach. The "Home Safely" program which has been vigorously promoted by the alcohol industry addresses the problem of young people and motor vehicle accidents by encouraging young people and their parents to sign contracts in which parents undertake to drive their children home after they have been out and consumed alcohol.
Professional training and education for those working with alcohol affected people is also essential to maintain the effectiveness of the community's investment in alcohol problem prevention and treatment. A new initiative for my department will be the creation of special training positions within the alcohol and drug service to provide an opportunity for recent graduates or those without formal tertiary qualifications to acquire the appropriate experience or qualifications. This will enable them to contribute more effectively to the prevention and treatment of individuals and families affected by alcohol and other drug problems.
The training needs of existing staff will also continue to be addressed by encouraging their attendance at relevant seminars and conferences, the provision of study leave where appropriate and staff rotation programs, such as those already available to psychiatric registrars, student psychiatric nurses and masters students in clinical psychology. Teacher training needs will also continue to be addressed. Indeed my department, in collaboration with the Department of Education, has been responsible for the development of the drug abuse prevention in primary schools package which is now being adopted nationally. The package uses an action research model to train teachers to develop and adapt drug education approaches specifically suited to their own classroom situations.
The interdepartmental consultative group on alcohol will need to consider the influence of laws and regulations which affect the availability of alcohol, especially to young people. My colleague the Attorney-General has announced his intention to carry out a review of the Liquor Act. I am advised this review will address a number of aspects of the operation of the Liquor Act in the ACT, including matters relating to the issue of under-age
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