2019 National AOD Award Winners

Education plays a key role in preventing alcohol and other drug harms. This award recognises the important educational work that can support people to navigate the confusing alcohol and other drugs space.

Winner

Awarded to Wodonga Council and Dutch Media for their Who’s it Gonna Hurt? campaign.

Who’s it Gonna Hurt? is a creative campaign aimed at minimising risky drinking for males in the City of Wodonga. Organisers used community consultation to determine the key drivers of alcohol use, resulting in messages around how alcohol can hurt your health, your wallet and your family.

The award was accepted by Claire Taylor, Manager of Community Planning and Well-being, Wodonga Council.

Shortlisted Nominees

• Geelong Football Club and Barwon Child, Youth & Family: Just Think Program and Campaign (VIC)
• The Matilda Centre: Positive Choices (NSW)
• Wodonga Council and Dutch Media: Who’s it Gonna Hurt? (VIC)
• Australian Red Cross: Save A Mate Program (NSW)
• Drug Education Network (TAS)
• Encounter Youth (SA)
• Insight and Dovetail (QLD)

This category celebrates an individual, organisation, program or community that has made a significant and/or meaningful commitment and contribution to preventing and/or minimising alcohol and other drug-related harms in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Winner

Awarded to Craig Holloway of Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation.

Over the last twenty-two years, Craig Holloway has tirelessly advocated with both government and non-government stakeholders to influence policy and lead change to address AOD issues within Victoria and nationally. A proud Yorta Yorta man, Craig has spent most of his working life in Aboriginal organisations. Cultural safety and cultural overlay have underpinned all areas of Craig’s work.

Shortlisted Nominees

• Jeff Amatto: More Cultural Rehabs Less Jails (NSW)
• Australian Indigenous Alcohol and Other Drugs Knowledge Centre: Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet (WA)
• Amie Dreyer: Chrysalis Girls Program (NSW)
• Drug Education Network and Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre (TAS)
• SAFE Local Drug Action Team (QLD)
• The Gumbi Gumbi Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation (QLD)
• Craig Holloway: Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VIC)

This category acknowledges individuals, organisations, programs, policies and/or resources that have made a significant contribution to harm reduction efforts.

Winner

Awarded to North Richmond Community Health: Medically Supervised Injecting Room (VIC).

Currently being trialled at the North Richmond Community Health Centre, the medically supervised injecting room is a safe place where people can inject drugs in a supervised health setting that allows for staff members to respond immediately to adverse reactions. It offers clients access to other health services like mental health support, drug treatment, wound care and blood testing.

The award was accepted by Dr Nico Clark, Medical Director of Medically Supervised Injecting Room.

Shortlisted Nominees

• North Richmond Community Health: Medically Supervised Injecting Room (VIC)
• Surry Hills Community Drug Action Team (NSW)
• Wodonga Council and Dutch Media: Who’s it Gonna Hurt? (VIC)
• Victoria Police: Alcohol Diversion Program (VIC)
• Hello Sunday Morning (NSW)
• PARTi Project (VIC)
• Pill Testing Australia
• SafeScript (VIC)
• The Salvation Army Health and Information Exchange St Kilda (VIC)

The Media Award acknowledges the important role media plays in shaping and informing community knowledge and perceptions around alcohol and other drug issues. Nominations were open to traditional media (news), social media or digital campaigns that had informed and shaped community knowledge and perceptions of alcohol and other drug issues.

Winner

Awarded to Uniting: Fair Treatment Campaign (NSW).

Launched by Uniting in October 2018, the Fair Treatment campaign was developed to advocate for the decriminalisation of the possession of small amounts of drugs and expand treatment services in rural and regional areas. A documentary called Half a Million Steps ran as part of the campaign detailing the walk that 100 campaign supporters took from Dubbo to Sydney to highlight the lack of treatment services in rural and regional areas.

The award was accepted by Emma Maiden, Head of Advocacy at Uniting.

Shortlisted Nominees

• Wodonga Council and Dutch Media: Deck'd Campaign (VIC)
• Stephen Bright: AOD Media Watch (VIC)
• Glenn Munso: Youth You Program (VIC)
• Shanna Whan: Sober in the Country (NSW)
• Self Help Addiction Resource Centre (SHARC): Straight from the Source podcast (VIC)
• Triple J Hack for their coverage of Australia’s Pill Testing debate (NSW)
• Uniting: Fair Treatment Campaign (NSW)
• Wangaratta Local Drug Action Team: Beyond Ice (VIC)

The Primary Prevention Award recognises programs, policies and/or resources that make a significant contribution in preventing alcohol and other drug use and related harm.

Winner

Preventure Australia, based at The Matilda Centre.

Adapted from the successful Preventure program developed in Canada, Preventure Australia targets adolescents exhibiting one of four personality traits identified as robust risk factors for substance use and psychopathology. Preventure has demonstrated reduced alcohol consumption, binge drinking, likelihood of initiating illegal drug use, frequency of drug use and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and delayed initiation of alcohol use and binge drinking.

The award was accepted by Lucy Grummitt, Research Assistant and Doctoral Candidate at The Matilda Centre, University of Sydney.

Shortlisted Nominees

• Home Base: Hands Up Mallee (VIC)
• Basketball Kimberley (WA)
• Bunbury Geographe Local Drug Action Team (WA)
• IndianCare: Connecting Diversity Project (VIC)
• Brophy Family and Youth Services: IMPACT! (VIC)
• NOFASD Australia (SA)
• Palmerston and Regional Basketball Association (NT)
• Preventure Australia, based at The Matilda Centre (NSW)
• The Cook, The Chef and Us Program (VIC)

The Research Award celebrates the importance of research within the alcohol and other drug sector and its relevance and benefit to the community as a whole.

Winner

Menzies School of Health Research - Alcohol, Other Drugs and Gambling Team.

Menzies School of Health Research is a national and global leader in Indigenous health and tropical health. It has been undertaking evaluation, research and capacity building activities that support current alcohol policy reforms in the Northern Territory. The Alcohol, Other Drugs, and Gambling (AODG) Unit has focused its efforts on applied and collaborative research and evaluation projects that support policy and practice improvements at the local level.

The award was accepted by Prof James Smith - Father Frank Flynn Fellow (Harm Minimisation) and Head of the AODG Research Team, Menzies School of Health.

Shortlisted Nominees

• Menzies School of Health Research: Alcohol, Other Drugs and Gambling Team (NT)
• Dr Michael Livingston: The Centre for Alcohol Policy Research (VIC)
• Network of Alcohol and Drugs Agencies and National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction (NSW)
• QUANTEM team led by Professor Peter Miller (QLD)
• Turning Point: Population Health Team (VIC)
• VicHealth and Monash University: Identifying and Understanding Men’s Risky Drinking Subcultures and Settings Project (VIC)

This category recognises an individual, organisation, program or service that has made a significant contribution to treatment and support efforts designed to assist Australians who have been impacted by alcohol and other drug use.

Winner

Self Help Addiction Resource Centre (SHARC): Peer Workforce Development Program.

Established in 1995, the Self Help Addiction Resource Centre (SHARC) provides support for individuals, families and communities affected by dependency and related problems. SHARC established Peer Projects in 2014 to provide a dedicated effort in leading peer workforce development in the AOD treatment sector.

The award was accepted by Heather Pickard, CEO of Self Help Addiction Resource Centre (SHARC).

Shortlisted Nominees

• Hello Sunday Morning: The Daybreak Program (NSW)
• Victoria Police: Alcohol Diversion Program (VIC)
• Barkly Region Alcohol and Drug Abuse Advisory Group (NT)
• The Matilda Centre: Cracks in the Ice Portfolio (NSW)
• Directions Health Services (ACT)
• Self Help Addiction Resource Centre (SHARC): Peer Workforce Development Program (VIC)
• SMART Recovery Australia (NSW)
• Turning Point: Counselling Online Service (VIC)

This category celebrates individuals who have made a significant contribution, over a considerable time period, to the alcohol and other drugs field. This is an opportunity to acknowledge and publicly recognise the exceptional commitment and dedication of people who work tirelessly in this sector.

Winner

Geoffrey Munro, Policy Manager, Alcohol and Drug Foundation

Geoffrey Munro left his position as a secondary school teacher 35 years ago to take up a role in drug education with the Health Department. Subsequently, he has worked at the Alcohol and Drug Foundation for nearly three decades, specialising in drug prevention and community development. He has led numerous community-based projects, edited a specialist book on school drug education, contributed book chapters on primary prevention, published on policy and practice in peer-reviewed journals and presented papers at conferences, drug summits and parliamentary inquiries. His current role involves policy development and advocacy at the Alcohol and Drug Foundation.

Judges’ Comments

Geoff's contribution to the AOD field is undeniable. Excellent advocate and fearless advisor to government, and research sectors. Geoff has extensive and high-level expert involvement in policy, practice and research in the AOD field for 28 years. His contribution has been substantial, ongoing and meaningful.