WGAR News: Maintain Court's discretion - Therapy not "throw away the key": APO NT [Alcohol & Drugs]

Newsletter date: 18 July 2013

Contents:

* APO NT: Maintain Court's discretion - Therapy not "throw away the key" [Alcohol & Drugs]
* NIRS: Six month review for NT [Alcohol] treatment policy
* Background to the NT Alcohol Mandatory Treatment Bill

* NACCHO alert NIDAC: The report on the consultations of the National Aboriginal Peoples' Drug Strategy

* Catherine Liddle, NITV News: Campaign launched to reduce diabetes among Indigenous Aussies

* NIRS: WA Gov't flags community collaboration on suicide

* APO NT: MAINTAIN COURT'S DISCRETION - THERAPY NOT "THROW AWAY THE KEY" [ALCOHOL & DRUGS]

- Media Release

APO NT: Maintain Court's discretion - Therapy not "throw away the key"
[APO NT: Aboriginal Peak Organisations Northern Territory - An alliance of CLC, NLC, CAALAS, NAAJA and AMSANT]
http://apont.org.au/attachments/article/45/130703%20-%20Media%20Release-...
3 Jul 13: "Aboriginal Peak Organisations Northern Territory [APO NT] has today joined the Chief Magistrate in condemning the lack of programs for alcohol and drug dependent offenders in the Northern Territory.
"APO NT is calling on the NT Government to immediately re-evaluate its approach to sentencing offenders with drug and alcohol problems," said APO NT Spokesperson Mr. Noel Hayes.
"This week the Chief Magistrate Hilary Hannam quite rightly pointed out that after the scrapping of the SMART Court,
We have now nothing in the court system, not a single program, not for drugs, not for illicit drugs, not for alcohol, not for mental health, not for Indigenous people."
As the Chief Magistrate lamented this puts us behind all other states and territories.
"Instead of supporting medically sound treatment options for alcohol dependent people before the courts, the NT Government has introduced Alcohol Mandatory Treatment laws to detain people who have committed no crime. ... " said Mr. Hayes."

* NIRS: SIX MONTH REVIEW FOR NT [ALCOHOL] TREATMENT POLICY

- Audio

National Indigenous Radio Service: Six month review for NT treatment policy
http://www.nirs.org.au/blog/NEWS/article/29556/Six-month-review-for-NT-t...
15 Jul 13: "By Warren Barnsley: The Northern Territory Minister for Alcohol Rehabilitation says the NT Government will review its mandatory alcohol treatment policy after six months."

* BACKGROUND TO THE NT ALCOHOL MANDATORY TREATMENT BILL

Last updated: 5 July 2013

http://indymedia.org.au/2013/07/03/background-to-the-nt-alcohol-mandator...

* NACCHO ALERT NIDAC: THE REPORT ON THE CONSULTATIONS OF THE NATIONAL ABORIGINAL PEOPLES' DRUG STRATEGY

- News

NACCHO alert NIDAC: The report on the consultations of the National Aboriginal Peoples' Drug Strategy
[NACCHO: National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation]
http://nacchocommunique.com/2013/07/15/naccho-alert-nidac-the-report-on-...
15 Jul 13: "The National Indigenous Drug and Alcohol Committee (NIDAC) was engaged by the Intergovernmental Committee on Drugs National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Drug Strategy (NATSIPDS) Working Group to undertake consultations in six locations in Australia to inform the development of the NATSIPDS. The consultations conducted by NIDAC built on work that has been undertaken by the NATSIPDS Working Group and feedback from the evaluation of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Complementary Action Plan (The CAP) and the Yarning Circle, conducted at the 2nd National Indigenous Drug and Alcohol Conference held in Fremantle, WA in June 2012."

- Report

"The report on the consultations conducted by NIDAC to inform the development of the National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ Drug Strategy is now available online.":
http://www.naccho.org.au/download/aboriginal-health/NIDAC_NATSIPDS_repor...

* CATHERINE LIDDLE, NITV NEWS: CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED TO REDUCE DIABETES AMONG INDIGENOUS AUSSIES

- Videos

SBS World News: Campaign launched to reduce diabetes among Indigenous Aussies
Source: Catherine Liddle, NITV News'
http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1789640/Campaign-launched-to-reduce-d...
16 Jul 13: "Diabetes kills and maims thousands of Australians every year and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are among those most at risk. It may be hard to believe, but a simple thumb prick to measure blood glucose levels could save your life. The experts say the fear of getting your blood tested is nothing compared to the alarm that is being caused by the current statistics. Two hundred and eighty people a day are diagnosed with diabetes. That's around 100 thousand people last year alone. ... And the most troubling statistic - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are three times more likely to develop the disease."

* NIRS: WA GOV'T FLAGS COMMUNITY COLLABORATION ON SUICIDE

- Audio

National Indigenous Radio Service: WA Gov't flags community collaboration on suicide
http://www.nirs.org.au/blog/NEWS/article/29569/WA-Gov%27t-flags-communit...
17 Jul 13: "The Western Australian Premier Colin Barnett has formally responded to recommendations put forward by Perth's Dumbartung Aboriginal Corporation in relation to the prevention of suicide in the community."

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