Australian Winter School 2026 – Risky Business: IYKYK

The Northern Territory continues to experience the highest levels of alcohol consumption, risky drinking, and alcohol-related harm in Australia. This contributes to significant health, social and community impacts, including hospitalisations, deaths, family and domestic violence, antisocial behaviour and crime. In response, a coordinated whole-of-community approach is needed to reduce harmful drinking, strengthen local controls, and improve safety across the Territory. This includes working with police, health and treatment services, Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations, local councils, community services and industry partners to deliver practical, place-based solutions. The focus is on reducing public drinking and antisocial behaviour, supporting services that address the underlying causes of alcohol-related harm, and building safer, stronger and more liveable communities for all Territorians. Click to download the Plan

A toolkit to support organisations implement the Guidelines on the management of co-occurring alcohol and other drug and mental health conditions in alcohol and other drug treatment settings (3rd edition) into practice is now available. Developed by researchers from the Matilda Centre at the University of Sydney in collaboration with key stakeholders, including AOD organisational leaders and workers, people with lived experience and loved ones, with funding from Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, the Guidelines implementation toolkit aims to assist organisational leaders to identify and address the following: evidence-to-practice gaps in relation to Guidelines recommendations; barriers to the implementation of Guidelines recommendations; implementation strategies and tools to address identified barriers; and processes for implementing and evaluating change. What is the toolkit? The Toolkit guides organisational leaders through a five-step implementation process for putting Guidelines recommendations into practice. Steps 1-4 inform the development and evaluation of an implementation work plan described in Step 5. Each step is accompanied by: i) guidance on how to complete the step; ii) an example of the step being completed in practice; and iii) implementation tools. The toolkit is designed to be flexible and adaptable to individual AOD treatment settings, and guidance and tools do not need to be used prescriptively. Instead, organisational leaders can use their experience, judgement and expertise to apply the toolkit within their local context. Who is the toolkit for? The toolkit has been developed for people working within AOD treatment settings who have the capacity to influence change, such as organisational leaders, service managers, clinic directors, quality assurance and improvement officers.

Yilli Rreung Housing is pleased to announce the launch of our Homes Together – Tenant Sustainability Service (TSS) Program. Please see below for more information about the program and the support they offer. For more information or to make a referral, please email TSS@yillihousing.com.au Click here for the referral form. Please complete and return via email.

8-11 November 2026

The Alcohol and Drug Foundation (ADF), in collaboration with SHARC and Harm Reduction Victoria, has launched a powerful new resource focused on Lived and Living Experience (LLE) in the Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) sector. As momentum grows across Australia for meaningful and ongoing LLE involvement, this resource highlights the vital role that people with lived or living experience play across all areas of health and social support, including strategy and policy development, research, education and training, leadership, program design and service delivery. This new resource offers practical insights and guidance on: What LLE is and why it matters The variety of roles people with LLE hold across Australia How their unique expertise can drive better outcomes for individuals and communities Key considerations for engaging LLE meaningfully and ethically in your work Whether you're a service provider, policymaker, educator or working in program design, this resource is a must-read to ensure your approach is informed, inclusive and reflective of real-world experience. View the resources here .

NCCRED recently hosted a webinar titled “ Digital interventions for methamphetamine use and First Nations people ”. The session began with an overview of a four-phase project with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations. During the data collection phase, qualitative and quantitative data were gathered from 736 participants aged 16 and above (median age 34), 60% of whom identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. These insights informed the development of community-led prevention strategies and a web-based app, “Wada Wanti: Leave the Ice Alone”. The app content is based on evidence-based approaches including cognitive-behavioural therapy, motivational interviewing, emotional regulation techniques and relaxation strategies. The digital interventions can be used independently or integrated by workers in a range of service settings, including primary care and AOD treatment sessions.  The webinar concluded with a panel discussion and Q&A session. The recorded webinar is available here .

Barod, an AOD service based in Wales (United Kingdom), recently published a guide titled “Why language matters” which was developed alongside people with lived and living experience of substance use. The authors note that when it comes to substance use, language can either reinforce stigma or foster understanding. They explain that dehumanising and derogatory words like “addict”, “clean”, or “chaotic” can carry judgment, shame, and blame — and can stop people from seeking the support they need. The authors suggest when we choose our words with care, we help create a culture of dignity, inclusion, and hope. This guide provides a list of language to avoid, why, and acceptable alternatives to use. Although this guide was developed in Wales, we think much of the content applies to the Australian context. Visit the Barod website and download the guide here .

This study titled “Parent substance use and child-to-parent violence: A brief report” investigated the association between parental substance use and substance involved child to parent violence (SU-CPV) i.e. the young person is influenced by a substance. They found parental alcohol use was associated with an increased likelihood of SU-CPV. They suggest parental behaviours may influence the young person's behaviour, and this may be exacerbated by the disinhibiting impact of alcohol and unpredictability within the home environment. They also discuss that parental alcohol use could be a coping strategy for parents experiencing SU-CPV. Access the report here - Parent substance use and child-to-parent violence: A brief report

Tobacco use in Australia – including among young people - is at its lowest level in decades, largely due to effective public health strategies. However, a recent article in The Guardian suggests that the twice-yearly increases in tobacco excise may have reached the limit of their effectiveness. Rather than further reducing smoking rates, these ongoing tax increases may be contributing to the growth of the illicit tobacco market. The article examines the impactof continued excise increases and highlights the growing challenge posed by illicit tobacco sales in Australia, raising important questions about the future direct of tobacco control efforts. To read the full article, go to “Tobacco excise ha s passed a ‘tipping point’ and is fuelling black market, economists warn”