Thread by @CroakeyNews

Next session at #RethinkAddiction: Reclaiming Australia’s role as a global leader in harm reduction

#RethinkAustralia (pls note change in panellists)

"We know what we do is powerful and it works and we have to keep doing it. We have to recognise what we have in common and build on that. To do this more successfully we need funding & recognition of what we do...." Mary Harrod #RethinkAddiction

Injecting centres, pill checking will be acceptable and grow when the political climate changes, and that comes from these discussions and recognition of the inherent value of lived experience: Mary Harrod #RethinkAddiction

Mary Harrod @nuaansw talks re NSW environment on harm reduction, incl introduction of alerts that can warn the public not to take toxic drugs being sold on the street (vs any political appetite for pill testing) #RethinkAddiction sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/drug-aler…

Events like #RethinkAddiction, says Mary Harrod @nuaansw, are so important in bringing together disparate groups, eg user and recovery groups, to work on what the common cause is. She is also hopeful of changes in media reporting on harm reduction: role of media a big issue here

"Stick to your guns". Mary Harrod @nuaansw talks about new Hep C program that has peer support at its centre, following years/decades of advocacy, to try to reach people who have been treated v poorly in the health sector. "Finally getting some traction". #RethinkAddiction

Candice Gilford is talking about working with Sydney's Medically Supervised Injecting Centre, the transition from being a support user to provider. Had thought a "cop-out" to go into the sector, but other work "didn't feel authentic for me". Peer work critical #RethinkAddiction

"It's a full time job maintaining a habit," says Candice Gilford, noting her first job was in custody. Would have been risky to work in an injecting centre service earlier, needed space for "Life A to Life B". Insight, maturity, expertise, passion led there #RethinkAddiction

Candice Gilford to services: "Be people centred, compassionate, treat people like they're people (not just users). Stigmatising people, using moralistic approach turns people off, creates divide....you already feel so outside of things, you're v isolated." #RethinkAddiction

Spaces for nuanced conversations and raw stories are important for harm reduction, including drug use around festivals, where there is a need to "talk to people with no judgment": Stephanie Tzanetis from @PeningtonNews #RethinkAddiction

In prohibition, there is going to be more harm, says Stephanie Tzanetis, who wishes policy/decisionmakers were in the room to say why "overwhelming evidence" on harm reduction initiatives eg NSP are not supported. Focus on health vs supply reduction, she urges #RethinkAddiction

Stephanie Tzanetis: multi pronged approach needed on harm reduction, winning over hearts and minds also means challenging media, developing home-grown responses vs adopting international responses wholesale. Supports shift on trafficking vs social supply laws. #RethinkAddiction

Peer harm reduction organisations: our role sometimes is to break through and do things others won't do because our community needs them to. That can be a really hard place, but it's really important: Sione Crawford #RethinkAddiction

Australia no longer a global leader in harm reduction, despite continuing trumpeting on that. Need to find messages that can prompt a community groundswell, says Sione Crawford. #RethinkAddiction

Many efforts at reform are stymied by police, says Sione Crawford. While are fantastic police officers, a lot of harm comes from police power/s, eg strip searching, a pattern of coming out "kicking and screaming" against initiatives which may threaten interests #RethinkAddiction

Services need to be client-centred, recognise self-determination, that criminalisation causes harm, that not all drug use is problematic, need to 'seize the moment' in policy reform #RethinkAddiction

Are issues for the lived and living experience workforce in AOD with current drug laws: people move backwards & forwards with their recovery, so can be arrested, moved out of services because they've relapsed. #RethinkAddiction

#RethinkAddiction talking about different orgs/services "fighting for scraps of money in a resource poor sector", where burnout, compassion fatigue are big issues. No other solution than "collaboration and 'forgiving each other our trespasses'", says Mary Harrod.

Is the sector ready for a changing political environment, asks @RichardDiNatale - we should all galvanise around that drug use is a health issue, not a crime #decriminalisation #RethinkAddiction

Shoutout at #RethinkAddiction for @AlcoholDrugFdn
Text the Effects: anonymous SMS service that provides confidential info about the effects of drugs in a quick and easy way: adf.org.au/resources/text…

Are a lot of harm reduction resources concentrated in cities in Australia, big gaps in rural and regional areas: "we can't leave anyone behind on this". Mary Harrod #RethinkAddiction

That's it for the morning session at #RethinkAddiction. Back at 2pm AEST on: Improving treatment and support

Visual wrap from @gavin_scribes #RethinkAddiction