DPEC update March 2000 issue 2

Page content: Stage 1 consultation processes | Local Government | Cultural & linguistically diverse communities | Service providers | Injecting drug user consultation | Victoria Police | Europe | The way forward

Stage 1 consultation processes

This issue of DPEC Update focuses on the range of consultation processes that the Committee has been involved in over the past months.

The Committee has been gathering information through consulting with relevant Local Governments and their constituents. Through local governments the Committee has had an opportunity to hear the views of local residents, traders, community groups and service providers.

These processes are informing the Committee's consideration of the development of local drug strategies in areas of high drug use and on the trialing of injecting facilities in those areas.

In addition the Committee has established statewide reference groups with Victoria Police, drug service providers, drug user representative bodies and forums with youth workers dealing with young people from diverse cultural backgrounds.

Local Government

A range of meetings and community forums were organised in the five Local Government Areas nominated as areas of high drug use and potential location sites for a trial of injecting facilities. The number of meetings, their formats and the target audiences varied according to the process determined by each local government.

The Local Governments involved have been Melbourne, Yarra, Maribyrnong, Port Phillip and Greater Dandenong.

The primary focus of these consultations was to hear the views of various communities in relation to the responses needed to address the drug problem, including a trial of injecting facilities and other strategies required in the local area.

The Committee has been pleased with the range of views expressed during this part of the consultation process and looks forward to receiving final advice from the local government areas.

Each Local Government will provide advice to the Committee which is based on the views gathered during various consultation processes and where possible outlining the Council's position in relation to injecting facilities.

The Committee acknowledges the effort and contribution of local governments involved, their officers and the local communities who participated in this process.

Cultural & linguistically diverse communities

To reach our diverse communities the Drug Policy Expert Committee has advertised in ethnic newspapers, calling for submissions and inviting groups to attend public forums organised by some local governments. Two forums have been held for the Vietnamese and East Timorese Community at City of Yarra and one forum with the Vietnamese community in the City of Maribyrnong.

In addition, a consultation for the Koori community was coordinated through the Victorian Aboriginal Health Services.

The Committee is keen to ensure that any future consultations in regional and metropolitan areas include representatives from culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

A press conference convened by Dr Penington and the Victorian Multicultural Commission was held with 40 representatives from the ethnic press. The aim was to inform journalists attending about the work of the Committee and encourage coverage of the various press represented.

The Victorian Multicultural Commission is currently consulting with representatives of over thirty diverse communities on the issue on drugs in our community and injecting facilities.

A meeting has also been held with the Ethnic Youth Issues Network to discuss injecting facilities and local drug strategies.

The DPEC short issues paper will soon be available in 7 other languages.

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Service providers

The Drug Policy Expert Committee has met twice with representatives from the Victorian Alcohol and Drug Association (VAADA).

Meetings have also been held with a range of additional health and community service agencies. Advice has been obtained from these groups on a range of service design and operational issues including key service goals and measurement tools; preferred facility management/auspice body; issues of access to the facilities by the target group including access for young people; service location; operational arrangements including staffing levels, qualifications and training; linkages with external services and protocols required to be developed with external services.

Some initial discussions relating to Stage 2 of the work of DPEC have also been held with these groups. Consultation will continue with these and other service providers into Stage 2.

Injecting drug user consultation

The Working Group on Consumer Input has identified and initiated a range of consultation processes with injecting drug users.

The Working Group has drawn a range of information together and has provided advice to the Committee on service design, access issues (including potential barriers to access), evaluation and service management issues.

Membership of the Working Group was based around VIVAIDS, representatives from Needle and Syringe Programs, ANEX, the Hepatitis C Council, and peer outreach staff of the Centre for Harm Reduction. The Working Group met six times over the past three months.  

Victoria Police

The Committee recognises the important role of Victoria Police in any local drug strategy in relation to both policy and operational policing issues. Victoria Police has convened a working group which the Committee has attended.  

Europe

Dr David Penington is visiting Europe at the end of the month. Dr Penington's itinerary includes visits to some of the main injecting facilities in three European countries as well as meetings with public health officials and researchers.

The way forward

The Committee is due to provide its Stage 1 Report to Government in the coming weeks. Work with local government and with various statewide reference groups will continue beyond the finalisation of this report.

The Committee will also need to turn its full attention to the remainder of its terms of reference which include the opportunity to consider, among other things, a range of prevention strategies, mechanisms to strengthen the treatment system and further strategies to build communities' capacity to respond to the issue of drugs in their local areas.

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