Territory Stories

Living with Alcohol in the Northern Territory Executive Summary

Details:

Title

Living with Alcohol in the Northern Territory Executive Summary

Other title

Tabled Paper 633

Collection

Tabled Papers for 6th Assembly 1990 - 1994; Tabled Papers; ParliamentNT

Date

1991-11-13

Description

Tabled by Marshall Perron

Notes

Made available by the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory under Standing Order 240. Where copyright subsists with a third party it remains with the original owner and permission may be required to reuse the material.

Language

English

Subject

Tabled papers

File type

application/pdf

Use

Copyright

Copyright owner

See publication

License

https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2021C00044

Parent handle

https://hdl.handle.net/10070/293619

Citation address

https://hdl.handle.net/10070/397376

Page content

provision of participatory planning and evaluation expertise to the network of community agencies directly involved in reducing alcohol-related harm; provision of participatory planning and evaluation expertise to remote Aboriginal communities; initiatives which meet the need for training programs at the level of workers in the field such as inservices, workshops, local support; which incorporate alcohol related issues into a range of tertiary courses, accredited and non accredited professional training; and which make use of both local and interstate expertise; and for raising alcohol related issues with the Social Development sub* committee of the Coordination Committee. The final version of this paper endorsed by Cabinet will be available to interested members of the community for comment and discussion. The Sessional Committee on the Use and Abuse of Alcohol by the Community will continue its work. 3.0 LIVING WITH ALCOHOL- action planned In the three change areas - culture, controls, care, the following broad actions will be taken. The processes outlined above will determine their precise nature. 3.1 CULTURE learning how to live with alcohol If we are to learn to live with alcohol, and take the demon out of drink, we will need to change both individual behaviour and the alcohol "culture of our society. We will need to accept, as individuals and groups, that alcohol is a special sort of commodity a powerful drug whose use requires particular responsibility and discernment, and to treat it, and ourselves, always with respect In order for individual behaviour change to occur, there must be a belief that: alcohol is a personal threat - not something that happens to other people; certain behaviours will reduce or eliminate the risk; the person is capable of carzying out the low risk behaviours; life will still be enjoyable, and the peer group will support the new behaviour. (adapted from Morin Model) An education program will need, therefore, to target not only individuals, but to create a societal environment which encourages sensible, responsible, drinking, which supports abstinence as a choice, and which actively discourages the uncaring drinking patterns that cause us damage. The program will aim to influence the varied drinking patterns of individuals and groups chronic overusers, binge, or heavy drinkers * stimulate individual insight, and persuade them to seek the help which will be provided under Care. 6