Drugs and the Community

Following brief position statements by members of the panel, the audience was encouraged to ask questions and share their own experiences.

Moderator
Dr David Smith, Program Director Human, Mind and Body, Museum Victoria.

Speakers
Professor David Penington, A.C. Chairman of the Premier's Drug Advisory Council.
As Chairman of the influential AIDS Task Force during the 1980s and, more recently, Chairman of the Victorian Premier's Advisory Council on Illicit Drugs, David Penington is regarded as one of Australia's pre-eminent spokespeople on the subject of illicit drugs. He was Professor of Medicine at the University of Melbourne from 1978 until 1985, and was Vice-Chancellor of that University from 1988-1995. Professor Penington is President of the Museums Board of Victoria.

Professor David Penington is regarded as one of Australia's pre-eminent spokespeople on the subject of illicit drugs. Follow these links to read further papers by David Penington.

• The need for a rational policy on illicit drugs in Australia, 14 July 1999 pdf [63kb]
• An Overview of Drug Use and Drug Policy in Australia, NSW Parliament Drug Summit, 17 May 1999. pdf [39kb]
• Public Policy Seminar on the Illicit Drug Problem, 27 May 1996. pdf [36kb]

Bill Severino, Assistant Commissioner, Victoria Police, Strategic Development Department.
Assistant Commissioner Bill Severino brings more than thirty years experience as a police officer to his present role with Victoria Police's Strategic Development Department. An important part of his brief is to handle changing community needs and aspirations for the police force. In this Forum Mr Severino helped to explain to the public current strategies for dealing with the complex problem of illicit drug use.

Kaye Ely, Drug Education, Department of Education.
Schools are currently developing Individual School Drug Education Strategies addressing both curriculum and related student welfare programs, policies and practices. This presentation outlined some of the work currently underway in schools. It also presented some of the issues in Parent Edcuation and the directions being taken to provide parents of students in schools with up-to-date, accurate information on drugs and related issues. Kaye Ely has been involved in the key learning area of health and physical education for over 30 years as a teacher, consultant and manager. Kaye's current role is management of four project components of Turning the Tide in schools and other drug related intitiatives related to school drug education.

Vito Doquile, Drug Counsellor at the Metropolitan Women's Correctional Centre and Lecturer on the Pharmacology of Drug Withdrawal, Monash University Pharmacy College.
Vito presents a street-wise, realistic and no-nonsense approach to the problem of illicit drugs. The insights he offers, based not only on his technical expertise and long experience with drug users but on his compassion for people, provide a holistic solution to the dilemma of drug abuse that seeks to get at the cause rather than merely treating the symptoms. Vito was a founding member and past President of the Windana Foundation.