AMA Media Alert - REMINDER - AMA National Alcohol Summit

The AMA is hosting a National Alcohol Summit in Canberra on 28-29 October 2014.

This event will bring together representatives from all tiers of government, community leaders, medical and health experts, police, families of victims, and other stakeholders to develop practical measures and enduring solutions to alcohol-related harms in the Australian community.

The Summit will look at the impact of excessive alcohol use across different domains including alcohol-related violence and the social costs of alcohol; culture, advertising and sport; the harmful use of alcohol in Indigenous communities; and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.

AMA President, A/Prof Brian Owler, said today that the AMA has been a consistent public voice raising awareness of alcohol-related harms and the need for a comprehensive national response.

“As doctors, we are often at the frontline dealing with the effects of drinking. The devastating effects of excess alcohol use are comprehensive, and their prevalence is far-reaching. The AMA believes that the solutions must be equally comprehensive and far-reaching.

“The AMA National Alcohol Summit will culminate in a plan of action for implementing real and tangible solutions,” A/Prof Owler said.

Confirmed speakers for the Opening Session include Opposition Leader, the Hon Bill Shorten MP, Australian Greens Health Spokesperson, Senator Richard Di Natale, and AMA President, A/Prof Brian Owler.

The Premier of NSW, the Hon Mike Baird, has sent a special video message that will be played in the Opening Session. There will also be videos chronicling personal stories of people whose lives have been affected by alcohol.

***ALL SESSIONS OF THE AMA NATIONAL ALCOHOL SUMMIT WILL BE LIVESTREAMED. You can view the live stream on the AMA National Alcohol Summit webpage at https://ama.com.au/alcoholsummit

The Twitter hashtag for the Summit is #AMAsummit

A list of Summit speakers is attached. The full Summit program is available at https://ama.com.au/system/files/alcoholsummitprogram.pdf

27 October 2014

CONTACT:        John Flannery, 02 6270 5477 / 0419 494 761, jflannery@ama.com.au

                            Odette Visser, 02 6270 5464 / 0427 209 753, ovisser@ama.com.au

AMA National Alcohol Summit program highlights include:

Day 1 – Tuesday 28 October 2014

10.10am          Opening remarks and introduction – AMA President, A/Prof Brian Owler

10.45am          Australian Greens Health Spokesman, Senator Richard Di Natale

11.00am          Video message from Premier of NSW, the Hon Mike Baird

11.15am          Leader of the Opposition, the Hon Bill Shorten MP

11.30am          Session 1: Violence and the social costs of alcohol

***Street Violence

                        AMA Vice President, Dr Steve Parnis - Chair

                        Mr Ralph Kelly, Thomas Kelly Foundation

                        Mr Vince Kelly, NT Police Association

                        Dr Diana Egerton-Warburton, Australasian College of Emergency Medicine

                        Ms Kate O’Connor, City of Sydney Council

                        Mr Michael Thorn, Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE)

                        ***Domestic Violence

                        AMA Vice President, Dr Steve Parnis – Chair

                        Ms Mirjana Wilson, ACT Domestic Violence Crisis Service

                        Dr Howard Bath, NT Children’s Commissioner

                        Prof Angela Taft, Judith Lumley Centre, La Trobe University

                        A/Prof Peter Miller, Violence Prevention Program, Deakin University

3.30pm            Session 2: Culture, sport and alcohol

                        Former AMA President, Prof Mukesh Haikerwal AO – Chair

                        Professor Sandra Jones, Australian Catholic University Health Institute

                        Dr Nicholas Carah, University of Queensland

                        A/Prof Kerry O’Brien, Monash University

                        Prof Mike Daube, Curtin University

Day 2 – Wednesday 29 October 2014

9.00am            Session 1: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)

                        Former AMA President, Dr Steve Hambleton – Chair

                        Prof Elizabeth Elliott AM, University of Sydney

                        Ms Sue Miers AM, National Organisation for FASD

                        Mr Graham Perrett MP, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow A/G

                        Dr Richard Kidd, GP, Deputy Chair, AMA Council of General Practice

11.30am          Professor Paul Haber, University of Sydney

12 noon           Session 2: Alcohol harm and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People

                        AMA President, A/Prof Brian Owler – Chair

                        Mr Mick Gooda, ATSI Social Justice Commissioner

                                     Dr Pat Anderson AO, Chair, Lowitja Institute

                        A/Prof Ted Wilkes, Curtin University

                        Dr John Boffa, Peoples’ Alcohol Action Coalition

                                     Senator Nova Peris OAM, ALP Senator for the Northern Territory

2.45pm            Summit Outcomes and Communique – AMA President, A/Prof Brian Owler