This year Harm Reduction Victoria had the exciting opportunity to dedicate more time to drug law reform and advocacy! Historically, Australia’s drug user organisations havn't been resourced or even allowed to dedicate time to policy advocacy and campaigning. Even while the need is so massive, and we’re constantly asked by governments and organisations to give feedback and consult on harm reduction policies. So in 2022, a new role was established called Policy & Campaigns Lead! A big focusin 2022 and early 2023 was preparing for the Harm Reduction International conference, which HRVic hosted in Melbourne in April 2023. Also, with Victoria implementing the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Mental Health, the Department of Health has been making changes to the mental health and AOD systems, and we’ve needed dedicated time to advocate for the rights of people who use drugs within these reforms. Below are some key outcomes of HRVic’s emerging policy advocacy program in 2022 and 2023, and info on where to from here!
Harm Reduction International Conference: HRVic was the lead local organization hosting this bi-annual conference bringing together over 1000 harm reduction activists, people who use drugs, researchers and policymakers! It was held at the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre on April 16th-19th 2023. Community participation: We organised a range of scholarships and volunteer opportunities for local people who use drugs and First Nations peoples to attend, including community rapporteurs responsible for posting on social media, and harm reduction volunteers responsible for supporting attendees. Uncle Bill from the Wurundjeri Land Council also gave an inspiring Welcome to Country to open the conference, which you can watch here:
Australian Stream: Australia doesn’t have its own national harm reduction conference (something we’re thinking of addressing now!). So we coordinated a range of partners and allies to develop a stream of sessions in the conference program specific to the Australian context.
This included some really powerful discussions we don’t often hear about; including hearing from a panel of First Nations people on decolonisation and human rights in Australian drug policy.
HR23 Australian Declaration
Conference Declaration: HRVic also worked with HRI and Collabforge to facilitate 2 workshops at the conference, which resulted in writing a conference declaration.
The Declaration includes a list of statements calling for community empowerment, decolonization, expansion of harm reduction and an end to drug prohibition. The Declaration was read out at the closing ceremony by HRVic Board member Gaby Bruning, and has since been referred to by multiple policymakers and researchers.
The Declaration is providing the basis for ongoing movement and coalition building in Australia. Check out the Declaration here: HR23 Conference Declaration |27th Harm Reduction International Conference (hri.global)
The 7 Demandments
In 2022-23, we also began developing an Advocacy Platform for HRVic. There are so many policy changes we need, and some of them are pretty complex. We needed to get it all on one page so we can build consensus and strategies among our communities and allies, around what we’re fighting for. It was a pleasure to work with all HRVic staff in the months before the conference to explore all the small, medium and massive policy changes we need to see. We then grouped these into 7 key policy demands, which have since been dubbed ‘The 7 Demandments’.
These are: 1. Decriminalise drug use and posession 2. Expand harm reduction activities 3. Safe workplaces for peer workers 4. Access and choice in healthcare and pharmacotherapy 5. Educate and de-stigmatise 6. Legalise drugs through community-regulated supply 7. Build a Victorian Drug Strategy led by affected communities
Each ‘Demandment’ has a list of more specific reforms underneath it (Ie; implement drug checking services, or allow an injectable pharmcotherapy option, etc) which will be continously improved and open for community feedback and input.
The Demandments also formed a basis for many of the Statements in the HR23 Conference Declaration. We think this is just the beginning of how these demands can unify and coordinate people who use drugs in Australia around a vision for systemic drug law reform.
In FY 2022-23, since the conference, Harm Reduction Victoria has convened an Advocacy Working Group of key allies, consulted in numerous government policies around mental health and AOD treatment, and coordinated a growing consensus in the sector for better harm reduction policies and more funding for our work. With the Department committing to funding this work for another 2 years, we look forward to seeing what else we can achieve in the fight to decriminalise and ending drug prohibition.