Jan 04 Vol. 2 No. 1
In this issue we cover the Aboriginal and Torres Strait IslanderPeoples’ Complementary Action Plan and the NSW Summiton Alcohol Abuse. Both are interesting examples ofconsultation informing policy.
The Complementary Action Plan is a comprehensivedocument that outlines strategies to help local communitiestackle alcohol, tobacco and other drug issues. It involvedgrass root level consultations with communities all aroundAustralia to develop culturally appropriate, and crosssectoral,approaches in this complex area.
The Alcohol Summit was also a consultative process –‘a powerful exercise of democracy in action’, as oneparticipant put it. The Summit has given the NSW Governmenta myriad of recommendations that it can consider andshape into action plans. The big question is now how willboth the Complementary Action Plan and the Summitrecommendations translate to real change on the ground?Will they be taken up by both communities and other levelsof government? Rather like the plans for a house, they willtake many players and resources to make them tangible– and effective.
Also in this issue we present the recently released NationalStatement on Ethical Issues in Research by the AustralianInjecting and Illicit Drug Users League (AIVL), which AIVLhopes will help to inform a set of national guidelines.We invited two researchers to respond to AIVL’s Statement,and help launch the debate towards the development ofnational guidelines.
This issue also provides an overview of Australia’s drugcourts. As an example of collaboration between sectors,their success depends on their case management approachand how this helps clients bring about change in theirlives. The article highlights the evaluations that have beenreleased on the NSW and Queensland drug courts; it is stilltoo early to say whether this approach actually has benefitsfor the clients over and above alternative approaches.
Other topics covered include the forthcoming changes towarning labels on tobacco products, and how remunerationimpacts on workforce development. As well, we providean update on how each state and territory handle minorcannabis offences, and a mental health perspective oncannabis and comorbidity. 
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