Symposium 2021: highlights live chats

We are sharing highlights from the On the road to health symposium where we spent two days discussing and debating how we move further and faster toward a health-based approach to drugs in Aotearoa New Zealand.  Join us at this series of online live chats: we're sharing some recording plus allowing plenty of time for Q&A.   

This year, in the context of a rapid global shift away from the so-called ‘war on drugs’, our symposium focused on how we are doing and ask what’s next.

We are streaming recordings of four sessions, with a focus on what is happening in other parts of the world and what it means for NZ. Each session will include a moderated live chat about the implications for New Zealand. 

Australia's path to health – Fiona Patten, Member for Northern Metropolitan Region in the Parliament of Victoria's Legislative Council and Leader of the Reason Party (Australia)

6pm Tuesday 1 June

Progress from across the ditch: Fiona Patten, Member for Northern Metropolitan Region in the Parliament of Victoria's Legislative Council and Leader of the Reason Party, gives us a progress update on Vict oria and Australia’s path to health. Fiona is currently the Chair of the Victorian Parliament’s Legal and Social Issues Committee, and leading the Inquiry into Cannabis Use in Victoria. Among other things, she introduced the Drugs Poisons and Controlled Substances Amendment (Medically Supervised Injecting Centre) Bill to Parliament, and secured the first medically-supervised injecting centre (MSIC) in Victoria in July 2018. 

Watch the Live Chat recording 

Approaches to methamphetamine – Nicole Lee, 360Edge and National Drug Research Institute Curtin University, Australia

6pm Tuesday 25 May

The Australian public health response to the harms caused by methamphetamine use have been extensive. Professor Nicole Lee, a leader in alcohol and other drug responses with 30 years’ experience, is internationally known for her work in methamphetamine treatment and policy. Nicole is Founder and CEO of specialist alcohol and other drug agency 360Edge, and Adjunct Professor at the National Drug Research Institute Curtin University. She has been a regular visitor to New Zealand, and has spoken at previous Drug Foundation and dapaanz conferences.

Watch the Live chat recording

A global shift to health after the war on drugs – a conversation with Rt Hon Helen Clark

6pm Tuesday 18 May

Executive Director of NZ Drug Foundation Sarah Helm will interview Helen Clark, chair of the 26-member Global Commission on Drug Policy, and former Prime Minister of New Zealand about global progress towards a health-based approach to drug policy and practice.

Watch the Live chat recording

More details to come about other Live Chats