New chief on the block

Early in 2007 ALAC Chief Executive Officer Mike MacAvoy stepped down after 12 years. Incoming CEO, Gerard Vaughan has extensive knowledge and experience within the health sector and is looking forward to applying his skills in the alcohol-related arena. In our Guest Editorial Gerard shares his first impressions of the new role.

This is an exciting time for me as the new kid on the block facing the challenge of learning about alcohol issues and ALAC’s history and involvement in that area. There is also the getting to know all the diverse players around New Zealand and understanding what they’re doing and where they’re heading.

Starting at around the same time as the new chair Peter Glensor and two new council members - Alick Shaw and Robyn Northey - has also been good timing. This influx of new people has been a real opportunity to look at things anew with fresh eyes.

Since beginning in the job I have been struck by the size of the task ahead given the high level of tolerance and acceptance many New Zealanders have for excessive drinking. You could even say that the way we drink has become part of the Kiwi identity. If that is the case (and I think it is) then some pretty fundamental changes need to occur; otherwise we will only be dealing with the problems and never the causes. Those changes will take time, and action will need to happen on many fronts, by many people.

But even though there is still a long way to go, we are not starting from scratch. Having got around and met a lot of people, I do appreciate we are standing on the shoulders of many pioneers who have worked hard over the 30 years since ALAC began. During conversations with people from the treatment sector I have been struck by how far things have come in meeting the needs of people with alcohol problems. I am looking forward to being part of ALAC’s continued involved with the treatment sector, particularly through the conferences we host and sponsor and the support we provide in partnership with the Mental Health Commission. We are also actively involved in projects aimed at improving treatment outcomes for Māori and Pacific peoples.

We are also involved in early intervention through our work with the Alcohol Drug Helpline, our workplace alcohol and drug policy work, and the development of resources for those working at the coal face of drug and alcohol problems. Intervening early means we can be the fence at the top of the cliff rather than just the ambulance at the bottom.

I am also looking forward to continued involvement with other agencies in strengthening the legislative, regulatory and enforcement side of the supply of alcohol.

This is primarily within the Sale of Liquor Act 1989, but also includes the Local Government Act 2002, the Resource Management Act 1991 and other legislative measures. Police, Territorial Authorities, Rūnanga, Māori Wardens, marae committees, Pacific peoples and Public Health Units are critical to this area of work. While enforcement alone cannot change New Zealanders’ risky drinking behaviours, it can reduce harm through controlling access to alcohol, establishing relevant alcohol policies for local territorial authorities, effective monitoring, and prosecutions in respect of law breaches.

So there is a lot going on. Each day it feels like I am finding out about a programme, a piece of work, a partnership or a resource to reduce the social harms from alcohol being developed by advocates, researchers, public health or grass roots organisations. So yes, I am struck by the dedication and passion of people working in this area.

The third main area of our work is in demand reduction. Demand reduction strategies are designed to prevent alcohol-related harm from occurring by changing New Zealand’s cultural attitudes around alcohol. Prior to coming to ALAC I worked for six years managing the Like Minds, Like Mine project. Even though reducing discrimination associated with mental illness is different from reducing social harm caused by alcohol use, much of the territory around the need to change how people think and behave feels very familiar.

I know that there are a range of opinions on whether communications and marketing approaches should be used to help solve complex health and social issues, and I agree that if all you are doing is a bit of television advertising and PR then you are wasting your money. However, when mass media communications is part of a mix of activities that includes influencing policy and regulation and engaging people motivated to make changes at an organisational and community level, then your ducks are starting to line up.

For many of us media sets the agenda for what we talk about at home and at work. In a very subtle way media (particularly advertising) reflects back to us what sort of people we are or aspire to be. In previous work I have seen how mass media can effectively engage hearts and minds around a social issue, and create an environment where people are more open to supporting some of the hard changes, be they in policy, regulation, or at a community, group or individual behaviour level.

Already in my time with ALAC I am proud to say the use of mass media as part of its broad mix of supply and control, demand reduction and problem limitation strategies has looked very promising.

Monitoring shows virtually 100 percent recall of ALAC’s mass media programme. In 2006, around three quarters of adults recognised that heavy per occasion drinking is more likely to cause harm to themselves or others.

The range of harms people associate with such drinking has also extended. Three years ago, drink driving and dependency were the dominant concerns. Now, people recognise that crime, violence, accidents, embarrassment and regret are some of the harmful results of binge drinking. Social harm and alcohol is starting to get on the public agenda.

As I travel around the country I am clearly picking up that this is all contributing to a national conversation taking place amongst families, whānau, friends and workplaces about how we are drinking. Over time the aim is for this to increasingly create a more supportive environment for growing the range of activities needed to reduce the harms associated with alcohol use.

So it does feel like I have joined ALAC at a very interesting time. The development of the next National Alcohol Strategy is just around the corner and should be a good vehicle for developing action plans for alcohol under the recently released National Drug Policy 2007 – 2012.

The ALAC Council has also developed its next Strategic Direction Plan 2007 –2012 and during May will be seeking discussion and feedback on the proposed directions. These meetings will be great opportunities for us at ALAC, particularly the new comers, to meet and discuss strategies and solutions with a wide range of people.

ALAC, however, is just one organisation among a number all working towards the same goal of preventing alcohol-related harm in New Zealand. To achieve this we all need to work together. That’s not to say that there won’t be differences in approach and emphasis. But in the long run, it is achieving the goal that’s the priority.