Brisbane City Council is set to stage the first ever Australian conference to examine the role of Local Government in responding to the impacts of drug use on local communities. The conference on 4 and 5 December is hosted by the Council of Capital Cities Lord Mayors (CCCLM) and Brisbane City Council.
The program is aimed at elected representatives and officials from Local Government, who will have access to innovative and successful strategies already operating in metropolitan, regional and rural Councils across Australia. Policy makers from Federal and State Government and those involved in drug issues from across the community are also welcome to participate.
As the first ‘Local Government & Drugs’ conference in Australia, it acknowledges that local Councils are faced with ‘on the ground’ issues and impacts of drug use from security enforcement, syringe clean up, rehabilitation and crime to unemployment and drug education. Prominent international speakers, as well as leading Australian experts in drug policy and practice, will present at the conference. Sessions will address best practice initiatives around community safety, public space management and community development, and will explore Local Government input to national drug policy.
Speakers include Dr Ethan Nadelmann, Executive Director of the Lindesmith Centre, New York; Jan van der Tas, former Dutch Ambassador to Germany and board member of the Netherlands Drug Policy Foundation; Dr Marsha Rosenbaum, medical sociologist and director of the Lindesmith Centre in San Francisco; and Professor David Penington.
Registration fees for the conference are $200 before 26 October 2001 or $300 after 26 October 2001. For a registration form or further details, contact (07) 3846 5858, or email rrandle@eventcorp.com.au
