BYRON BAY DRUG & ALCOHOL FORUM 15 MARCH 2008 (TRANSCRIPTS / EXCERPTS and RECOMMENDATIONS - go to Links)Please stay tuned as updates will be posted regularly.(See BUDDI link for POST-FORUM ACTIVITIES) Quotes from the day“Schoolies” is a degradation ceremony that is an unmitigated disaster. “Big Day Out” better but still large problems — both promote the alcohol drug youth culture. Prof. Paul Wilson OAM 
“The river of grog and drugs runs wide and deep in Australia and has broken its banks” Matt Gaughwin, addiction physician, quoted by Noel Pearson,The Weekend Australian, 1-2 March 2008. How do we build a social, cultural spiritual and ultimately legal intolerance of abusive and egoistical behaviour? This is the great challenge! “Is alcohol & drug use our young people’s problem or our communities problem?” Paul Spooner 1 in 3 Australians over the age of 14 use medications, alcohol or illicit drugs to help them get through the day. the issue is not about whether we use alcohol or drugs but, more specifically: how should we go about managing our usage of alcohol and drugs? The marketing of alcohol to young people is a disturbing trend and seems to be another case of what Philip Adams colorfully coined as “corporate pedophilia”. Is it the alcohol & drugs that are the problem or is it the inability of people to deal with the pain & suffering in their lives? “Our youth now love luxury. They have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for their elders and love chatter in place of exercise; they no longer rise when elders enter the room; they contradict their parents…and tyrannize their teachers.” Socrates, Fifth Century BC Peter Chown's priceless - How to talk to young people: Keep calm Talk less / listen more Speak only 2 sentences at a time – keep it short Only argue over things that really matter Regularly give positive feedback Don’t constantly remind them of their mistakes Let some things go by you Catch them doing something right Talk while doing something together Try not to take things personally Let them have the last word! 
A Working Group was formed to address the recommendations provided by Discussion Groups. Progress Reports will be provided on this website. THE FORUM WAS FILMED BY: David Bradbury This one-day community Forum was convened by the Byron Ratepayers Assoc. Inc. as a result of increasing public concern about the extent and nature of drug and alcohol problems in the youth of Byron Shire. As well as being an informative and practical help day for parents of challenging adolescents, the Forum focussed on mobilizing our ideas, identifying a broad range of problem areas, brainstorming solutions and formulating a community response to local, State and Federal authorities. It heard addresses from the leaders in varied fields of adolescent health and welfare and social justice, as well as affected parents and the youth themselves. Forum Organizing Committee: John Bailey, Sue Arnold, Norm Sanders and Christine Coles Forum Working Group John Bailey, Christine Coles, Nicqui Yazdi, Simon Richardson, Vicki Henricks, Carl Moore, Allan Gibson, David Bradbury, Jan Daly, Joe Gormley, Michael Williams, Tahlia Ward, Virginia McPhee, Tom Burrey, Susan Skyvington Many thanks for valuable support, time, energy and financial assistance from: Byron Ratepayers Assoc. Inc. (Sponsors and organizers) Byron Lions Club (providing lunch on the day) Quota Club Brunswick Heads (donation) John Waterhouse – Coast Country Cellars (donation) Bridglands Mullumbimby (donation) Byron High School, Mullumbimby High School, Shearwater Steiner School MyVirtual Office - Christine Coles and Innerspring Media – Barry Ferrier (Website) Frontline Secretarial – David and Chrissy Grapho - Carl Paola Frontline Films – David Bradbury Speakers: Wesley Noffs, Jane Enter, Peter Chown, Prof Paul Wilson, Paul Spooner, Susan Skyvington, Tom Burrey, Laurie Ganter Survey: Tahlia Ward, Paul Spooner, Sandra Heilpern, Jack Travis, Virginia McPhee, Prem Dana Takada Byron Youth Services: Paul Spooner, Deborah Pearse Donna Munro Chris and Julie Coady, John Addis, Linda Bailey Photos: Christine Coles
Please see FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) for information about drugs and alcohol in general. This information has been sourced from Government websites. It will be updated following this Forum. Submissions for this section would be gratefully accepted.
 Our Mayor and Upper House Greens Member |
