Minutes –7 April 2014

Minutes

Meeting #1 – 7 April 2014 @ 10am

Department of Primary Industry, Conference Room, 1st floor, Barkly House

Meeting Chair / Barb Shaw, President of Barkly Regional Council
Present / Jordan Jenkins, Tennant Creek Hotel
Greg Marlow, Chamber of Commerce
Stewart Naylor, Barkly Regional Alcohol and Drug Abuse Group
LT, Anyinginyi Health Aboriginal Corporation
Georgina Bracken, Tennant Creek Women’s Refuge
Pat Braun, Catholic Care
John Baker, Memo Club
Richard James, Patta Aboriginal Corporation
Ian Gabriel, Headframe Bottle Shop
Jane Alley, Dept of Business
Des O’Brien (Secretariat), Dept of Business
Apologies / Nil

1Welcome – Roles and Responsibilities

Meeting started at 10.00am.

The Chair welcomed and thanked the Alcohol Reference Group (ARG) members for attending. Members are on the ARG as representative sector members and not representing their organisation. Each member introduced themselves and spoke about the sector they are representing and what they would like to see in an Alcohol Management Plan (AMP).

The member’s comments include:

  • Appropriate level of services for all residents of Tennant Creek.
  • Support for families.
  • People and their well-being addressed.
  • A good balance between alcohol management planning and business.
  • The AMP looks at the bigger picture, especially improving the lives of youth.
  • Strategies to encourage people to drink responsibly.
  • Bringing information on alcohol trends and first-hand knowledge on other regional towns to the table, especially regarding what actions work.
  • A family friendly and safe environment for all Tennant Creek residents and tourist.
  • A fair trading balance and a safer community.

A)Role of the Alcohol Reference Group

The Chair outlined the role of the ARG. The ARG’s responsibility is the development, implementation and ongoing monitoring of an AMP. Members are encouraged to consider what would work, what is working and what is not working in relation to having an innovative AMP.

Responsibility of an ARG includes:

  • How do we reduce alcohol-related harm?
  • Make recommendations with regards to strategies
  • Watch community patterns including new emerging patterns
  • Work closely with the community
  • A community based plan
  • Provide feedback to government regarding alcohol-related issues and strategies
  • Participate in the AMP 2 year review
  • Community engagement and consultation
  • Reaching consensus is important.

The Chair defined shared understanding / shared values and asked members to share their definition of shared understanding. The Chair outlined the following important elements of shared values/understanding:

  • Collaboration
  • Not a blame game
  • Positivity
  • Acknowledge and accept responsibility of their own behaviour within the community
  • Lead by example.

Members raised the following shared values:

  • Respect each other
  • Everyone has a voice, allow members to be heard
  • We may not all agree, but we need to agree to disagree in a safe environment
  • Support each other
  • Confidentiality
  • Learn from mistakes
  • A balanced contribution
  • Commitment to the group
  • Professionalism and feedback.

Action: Set feedback protocols.

B)Role of ARG Members

The Chair informed members that they are an invitee by the Minister and that each member represents a sector. Each ARG member is responsible to consult and engage with their representative sector regarding the AMP development.

C)Role of Secretariat & Alcohol Policy Strategy Division

Jane Alley spoke to members about the Department of Business, Alcohol Policy and Strategy Division. The three elements of the Division’s work include:

  • Lead the development and coordination of alcohol policy to address alcohol-related harms across NT Government
  • Work with communities and stakeholders to development AMPs
  • Responsible for alcohol-related data to measure progress in reducing alcohol harms and effectiveness of AMPs
  • Jane spoke about the current development of a place based framework for monitoring and measuring the impact and effectiveness of AMPs. This project is being undertaken by Menzies School of Health Research.

Des O’Brien will provide the ARG with secretariat support.

There are currently two other AMPs being developed within the Barkly Region; Ali Curung and Elliott. Jane updated members of their progress and how different ARG models have been formed around the NT. Members are interested in viewing both the Ali Curung and Elliott AMP to get an understanding of the strategies and how different ARG models have been formed.

Action: Seek approval from Ali Curung and Elliott ARGs to distribute their AMPs to Tennant Creek ARG members.

D)Reports to the Minister, including Minutes

The ARG is to provide regular updates on the progress of the AMP to the Minister. The final AMP requires the Minister’s approval.

The Minutes are a public document and will be publicly displayed. The members discussed this and available public data. Members discussed the different types of data they saw as being important in developing an effective AMP.

The ARG Minutes will be drafted and finalised in the following manner:

1)The 1st draft will be sent to the Chair for comments within 3 days from the meeting.

2)The 2nd draft will be sent to the ARG members for their comments following the finalisation of the 1st draft.

3)The ARG members have 3 days to provide comments to the Secretariat.

4)The final 2nd draft will be sent to the Minister’s Office and Departmental staff for viewing. The Minutes will be placed on the Department of Business’ website.

Action: Send ARG members a link to the Dept of Business AMP website, once website is completed.

Action: SN to email Des the latest hospital ED admission 2005-2013 data. Des to distribute to members.

Action: Members agreed to invite personnel responsible across-government for data to present at the next ARG.

Action: GB to email Des the latest housing data. Des to distribute to members.

2Terms of Reference

The Chair spoke to the Terms of Reference document. Clarity was sought regarding the definition of: Others may attend if approved by a minimum of 8 out of the 10 members. It was agreed the intent of this phrase would be used to invite other non-ARG members to be an ongoing ARG member.

3Government Agencies

The Chair introduced Jane Alley to speak. Jane outlined that, unlike previous ARGs, this ARG does not have any representation from government agencies. However, the ARG can decide on how they seek government agencies to provide input and advice to the ARG, and their involvement in the development of the AMP. Jane outlined several different ARG models and how they work with government.

The ARG members discussed options and concluded that each ARG meeting should include one key government agency to present.

The five key government agencies include:

  • NT Police
  • NT Health (including AOD Division)
  • Department of Business - Licensing
  • NT Housing
  • Department of Employment.

The preferred method was that government agencies attend the ARG for their presentation timeslot. A timeslot of 15 minutes was suggested. The Secretariat is tasked with inviting government agencies to ARG meetings. It was suggested that the Police would need to be invited every quarter to provide data and an update on activities

It was agreed that all ARG members have an interest in knowing what key government agencies, particularly NT Police, have planned as activities to address alcohol-related harm and evidence of outcomes. This knowledge is required in order to develop effective AMP strategies, and then monitor successes.

Government agency activities discussed were: supply controls, housing, employment and FASD.

Action: Invite NT Police to an ARG to present outcomes and data of T.B.L and current supply restrictions.

4Alcohol Management Plan

The Chair referred members to the background document which provided background information on Tennant Creek alcohol management planning.

A)Process of developing a new AMP

Jane Alley informed members that a Consultant had been engaged to assist with the development of a new AMP. The Consultant is Donna Cross from CDC Consulting. Donna will be responsible for the development of a first draft AMP. This process includes pre-engagement, identifying key stakeholders and community members, and broad community and stakeholders consultation. Donna will commence engagement with stakeholder from the second week of May, to be completed by the end of June. From this process a discussion paper will be presented to the ARG that includes possible solutions to reduce alcohol-related harm. The discussion paper will be workshopped with ARG members and further engagement will take place. Following community and stakeholder engagement and consultation, Donna will provide the ARG with a first draft AMP by September.

A further suggestion was raised which is to engage six community leaders / elders who are–non-drinkers to attend an ARG and provide advice.

It was also discussed that elders/ leaders (drinkers and non- drinkers) be provided to assist the consultant in engaging with town residents including each of the Aboriginal Community Living Areas. Members thought it best to engage community living areas through community leaders rather than through organisations.

Members expressed the importance that youth are part of the engagement phase. A suggestion of a youth forum was raised. The following local organisations can be contact regarding youth engagement:

  • School
  • Stronger Sisters
  • Clontarf
  • YDU
  • Catholic Care
  • Aboriginal Hostel Limited
  • Barkly Youth Services
  • Youth Connections

Action: LT, Richard James and Pat Braun to suggest six community leaders for the ARG to consult regarding AMP development. This includes compiling a broader group to enable consultation with community living area residents.

Action: Des to follow up with ARG members on behalf of Donna, to seek suggestions regarding relevant stakeholders to engage and suggested forums .

Action: Des to obtain from Donna an engagement plan, including proposed stakeholder questions, and a project plan/brief. To be circulated to ARG members.

5Other Business

i)Schedule of 2014 ARG Meetings

The ARG meeting is scheduled for the first Monday of the month. The months of May and August have a public holiday on the first Monday of the month, the ARG for May and August has been scheduled for the second Monday. Members agreed to this arrangement. A calendar of meetings was tabled.

ii)Current Restrictions

The Tennant Creek Accord is currently trialling voluntary liquor restrictions in all takeaway premises in Tennant Creek. The trial ceases at the end of April. A paper outlining the restrictions was tabled and discussed. The Accord members of the ARG are interested in viewing data such as consumption, assaults, ED admissions etc, in order to make a decision on whether the restrictions will continue.

iii)Other Initiatives

A number of members raised the importance of youth and would like to see strategies targeting youth. Discussion took place regarding the lingering concern regarding the future of the Sobering-up Shelter. Stewart Naylor sought permission to talk about the Sobering-up Shelter at the next ARG.

Discussion took place regarding the next Agenda. Items include:

  • Meet with Donna Cross to discuss the AMP development and community and stakeholder engagement
  • NTG to present on available alcohol data relevant to Tennant Creek
  • Update on Sobering-up Shelter

Action: Stewart to produce a one page document for members regarding his ARG presentation.

Action: Des to arrange the next Agenda to invite: NTG data personnel and Donna Cross.

The Chair thanked and congratulated members and asked for any final comments from the members. Comments included:

  • Let’s find ways to help family and community members through this process
  • Help youth and change generational perception of alcohol use/misuse
  • Controlling supply does impact alcohol consumption and drinking behaviour

Meeting concluded at 12.45pm.

Department of Business1