Check against delivery
Good morning, everyone.
I would like to thank the Burnet Institute for hosting us today, and for their ongoing work on alcohol and other drugs issues.
Burnet’s work brings together research, policy and harm reduction in a way that helps governments and services respond to alcohol and drug related harm with evidence, compassion and practicality.
Their close partnerships with people who use drugs ensure that work is grounded in lived experience and translated into practical, community-based initiatives, such as take-home naloxone and outreach services.
And I want to acknowledge the vital work being done across the alcohol and other drugs sector every day – by researchers, health professionals, community organisations, peer workers, families, carers, and people with lived and living experience.
Your work saves lives.
It supports people at some of the most difficult moments of their lives, and it helps reduce harm for individuals, families and communities right across Australia.
And for this work to continue, it needs to be guided by robust and responsive Government policy, able to respond to the new and emerging challenges in today’s alcohol and other drugs landscape.
We have heard from those across the sector about the need for Government funding to be directed towards initiatives that deliver the greatest benefit to the community and ensuring they are grounded in a strong evidence base.
We have also heard about the importance of continuity of care and providing certainty to the many organisations working to support those impacted by alcohol and other drug use.
Together, these insights have shown us that change is needed and that our next steps must be guided by community need and the experiences of those delivering services on the ground.
That is why today, I am announcing the next stage of reform to the Government’s Drug and Alcohol Program.
This is a significant shift, but it is a necessary one.
Importantly, it is not about reducing the Government’s investment in alcohol and other drug services.
We will maintain the Commonwealth’s $240 million a year investment, while ensuring funding is directed to where it can deliver the greatest value.
At their core, the reforms are about 3 things: giving services greater certainty, making funding more evidence-based and better targeted, and building a stronger national approach to reduce harm.
The first part of these reforms is about certainty for the sector.
The new grants will run for three years from July 2027, providing services with greater certainty and stability than the shorter-term funding extensions and rollovers used in recent years.
As part of the new grants process, transition arrangements will be available for existing grantees that are unsuccessful in upcoming competitive funding rounds.
This will help the organisations manage the change in an orderly way and minimise disruption for their clients.
We will also continue to fund research centres, peak bodies and national fetal alcohol spectrum disorder projects, in recognition of the vital role they play in strengthening the alcohol and other drugs sector.
The second part is about making funding more evidence-based and better targeted.
The new competitive grants process will support the continued work of the Drug and Alcohol Program, with a focus on directing funding to areas of greatest need.
This will include consideration of how services can best support priority populations and people living in rural and remote communities.
Through the new process, we will strengthen prevention and early intervention, helping people access support sooner and reducing the need for more intensive treatment services over time.
We will also explore innovative and flexible models of care that can respond to changing community needs, improve accessibility, and provide support before issues escalate.
Applications will open in the coming weeks, and I encourage the sector to apply.
At the same time, we will continue to invest in treatment services and the system enablers that help the sector deliver effective, coordinated care.
Primary Health Networks will continue to play an important role through commissioning services based on local need.
And for the first time, they will be able to commission prevention and early intervention activities, helping to support a more balanced and responsive system.
We will also collect better data across the program, so we can better understand what is working, improve quality over time and make sure investment is achieving the outcomes Australians need.
The third part is about strengthening the national approach.
Alongside these funding reforms, we will begin work with states and territories on developing the next National Drug Strategy, which will replace the current strategy.
It has been more than 40 years since former Prime Minister Bob Hawke convened the first ever National Special Premiers Conference on Drugs in April 1985.
This unprecedented forum helped establish harm minimisation as the foundation of Australia’s national drug policy.
Since then, a health-led approach to alcohol and other drug policy has remained in place.
It recognises that substance use is primarily a health and social issue, rather than a criminal justice or moral problem.
This approach is grounded in evidence-based prevention, treatment and harm reduction.
It also recognises that the best outcomes come when people can access support early, without fear of shame or judgement.
Through successive National Drug Strategies, governments have worked together to reduce demand, reduce supply and minimise the broader impact of alcohol and other drug use on individuals, families and communities.
But the alcohol and other drugs landscape is changing, and the next strategy must respond to the challenges we face today while positioning us to respond to emerging issues in the years ahead.
Part of that challenge is ensuring the sector is equipped to take advantage of the opportunities that technology and innovation present.
Across the broader health system, we are seeing technology transform the way care is delivered, helping make services more accessible, connected and responsive to people's needs.
We have seen this particularly in the mental health sector, where innovations such as telehealth, digital mental health services and online models of care have expanded access to support and helped improve outcomes for Australians living with poor mental health and mental health conditions.
This includes initiatives like our Government’s Medicare Mental Health Check In service and Medicare Mental Health national phone line.
While there are examples of innovation emerging across the alcohol and other drugs sector, it is clear there is still significant untapped potential.
As demand grows and needs become more complex, there is an opportunity to embrace new technologies and innovative models of care that can strengthen prevention, improve early intervention, expand access to support and deliver better outcomes for people and communities.
As we look to the future, innovation should be seen not as an optional extra, but as a key enabler of a more effective, responsive and person-centred alcohol and other drugs system.
This is important because alcohol and illicit drugs account for around 7 per cent of Australia’s total burden of disease.
This translates into health, social and economic costs of more than $100 billion annually.
Recent illicit drug use has increased, and we are seeing rising numbers of deadly synthetic substances, including nitazenes, appearing in Australia and bringing serious risks of overdose.
In 2023 alone, Australia lost almost twice as many people each month to preventable drug overdoses as died on our roads.
These are not simply figures.
They represent people, families and communities – and they remind us why we need a system that is responsive, compassionate and focused on reducing harm.
They also remind us that stigma remains one of the biggest barriers to people seeking support.
People should be able to ask for help without shame, without judgement and without discrimination.
The new National Drug Strategy must reflect the changing nature of drug use in Australia.
It must respond to the rise of synthetic substances and the growing connection between drug use and mental health.
It must also recognise the importance of reducing stigma and discrimination, so people can access support when they need it.
The design and scope of the new strategy will be informed by consultation with the alcohol and other drugs sector and broader community.
The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Disability will shortly deliver a final report on the findings of their Inquiry into the health impacts of alcohol and other drugs in Australia.
We will carefully consider the Inquiry’s recommendations as we shape broader alcohol and other drug policy in Australia.
Together, these reforms will help create a more coordinated system, making it easier for people to access the support they need, when and where they need it.
One that supports services, reduces harm and improves outcomes for people living with, or at risk of, alcohol and other drug harm.
To everyone working in this sector – thank you.
Your expertise, commitment and compassion are central to this reform.
We know these issues are complex.
We know the need is real.
And we know that the best way forward is to work together, guided by evidence and grounded in respect for the people and communities these services support.
Thank you again for the opportunity to join you today, and for your ongoing commitment to building healthier, safer communities across Australia.