Monthly Newsletter | Edition 33

Editorial

Dear Colleagues, 

The introduction into Parliament of the Statewide Treaty Bill in September was a landmark moment in our state’s history. The agreement between the First People’s Assembly of Victoria and the State of Victoria on how to progress future treaty negotiations, by continuing support for Aboriginal leadership, truth telling and self-determination, made me very proud to be Victorian. 

I am similarly proud that VAADA through its Pledge for Treaty is committing to stand alongside First Peoples and walk a shared journey of healing and reconciliation with all Victorians. This is a conscious decision by us as an industry peak body to listen and learn about the role our sector can play in righting the wrongs of the past and fostering change for the future.

Our recent VAADABase AOD Sector Insights Report shows that 1 in 10 people who accessed alcohol and drug treatment services in 2024-25 identify as Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander. The AOD sector has an essential role to play in responding to the overrepresentation of First Peoples in alcohol and drug treatment services, by ensuring that services are culturally safe and respond to Aboriginal ways of knowing, being and doing.

The VAADA Board, with the guidance of Director Craig Holloway, has endorsed the establishment of an Aboriginal Advisory Committee as a key part of VAADA’s future governance framework. VAADA’s Aboriginal Advisory Committee will play a key role in overseeing the finalisation and implementation of VAADA’s first Aboriginal Engagement Plan. To this end, we were delighted to recently announce the appointment of Aunty Suzanne Nelson as a respected Elder to Co-Chair the Aboriginal Advisory Committee.

Aunty Suzanne is a proud Yorta Yorta and Wiradjuri woman with five decades of experience across mainstream and Aboriginal-controlled organisations throughout New South Wales and Victoria. Up to her recent retirement, she worked as an AOD Clinician with Goulburn Valley Alcohol and Drug Services in Shepparton, where she was also involved in the Therapeutic Day Rehabilitation Program. We are very lucky to have Aunty Suzanne’s leadership and wisdom to guide us on this shared journey.

Chris Christoforou
Chief Executive Officer

VAADA Updates

This is more than legislation — it is a profound shift towards self-determination, recognising Aboriginal expertise, and embedding solutions driven by community knowledge.

VAADA is proud to have pledged its support for Treaty.

Through partnership and advocacy, we will:

• Establish an Aboriginal Advisory Committee within our governance framework
• Champion stronger connections between ACCOs and mainstream AOD services
• Advocate for action on the Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing Partnerships Agreement

We walk alongside First Peoples in building a better, more just future.

Learn more about Treaty and how you can support 👉 firstpeoplesvic.org

Join the Treaty NGO Briefing to hear about Australia's first Treaty and how you can be part of it 👉 Sign UP!

VAADA's Aboriginal Advisory Committee will guide our first Aboriginal Engagement Plan, strengthening cultural safety in how we support self-determination and better health outcomes for First Peoples in AOD services.

Aunty Suzanne brings over five decades of experience in health and community, and a deep holistic approach of wellbeing. We look forward to walking this important journey together.

Since 2023, 17 AOD agencies have partnered with VAADA and Latitude Network to securely share de-identified client data and co-design dashboards that reveal sector-wide trends. The report shows key insights from 60,000+ closed service events across 126 service locations in 2024-25.

Key highlights include:

• Most common profile: Males aged 30–39, alcohol as primary drug of concern, mood disorder diagnosis
• 68% of clients reported a mental health diagnosis
• Alcohol, stimulants & cannabinoids were the top presenting drugs of concern
• Regional areas showed higher methamphetamine treatment rates

Want to Join the VAADBase? 👉 Click here!

The Department of Health has confirmed the extension of the Elevate! AOD Workforce Development Program for a further year until the end of 2026.

Elevate! provides accessible opportunities for learning and professional development for Victoria’s AOD workforce. Continued funding ensures the program can support workforce capability, strengthen practice, and ultimately improve outcomes for clients, families, and communities.

VAADA welcomes ongoing support for this key workforce development initiative.

Melbourne City Council’s $2M plan to boost security officers to respond to public drinking and begging runs the risk of harming the very people who need support - those facing homelessness, substance use, and mental health challenges.

True community safety comes from care, trust and support, not punitive measures that increase stigma and risk of harm.

We’re calling for investment in housing, health, and harm reduction to build a city grounded in compassion and dignity. 

VAADA hosted an AOD Regional Provider Forum in Wangaratta, bringing together over 50 attendees from local services. The event was collaboratively organised with local partners and funded by Murray PHN.

The forum featured presentations from Charlotte Byrne (Northeast Health Wangaratta) on detox services, Alice Frank (Hamilton Centre) on co-occurring mental health and AOD concerns, and VAADA’s Dave Taylor on emerging drug trends, including nitazenes and novel psychoactive substances. Jane Anderson (Gateway Health) kept the program on track as MC, while Alicia Phillips and Carolynne Winbanks closed with a powerful discussion on intergenerational family violence and supporting AOD clients who are parents.

Thank you to all who contributed to an engaging and impactful day.

The Alcohol and Drug Research Innovation Agenda (ADRIA) is a Victorian Government initiative providing grants for innovative, evidence-based alcohol and other drug (AOD) research to improve health and social outcomes. ADRIA enables the sector to lead research that informs policy, enhances service delivery, and reduces AOD-related harms.

This year, four new research projects have been funded. These include exploring trauma-informed treatment for people with opioid dependence (cohealth), developing a peer-led model of care for people leaving prison (SHARC), analysing post-incarceration health outcomes using linked data (Western Health), and investigating barriers to recovery for women undergoing GHB withdrawal during pregnancy (Uniting Vic. Tas).

Together, these projects will strengthen Victoria’s evidence base and position the state as a national leader in AOD research and service innovation.

Family Violence

Challenging the Excuses: Tackling Alcohol, Gambling and Gendered Violence. 
VAADA’s Meg Bagnall joins sector leaders to unpack how harmful “traditions” contribute to family violence, and what we can all do to change the culture

Not everyone who drinks or gambles uses violence. But when gendered violence is already present, alcohol and gambling can escalate it — making behaviour more severe, frequent, and unpredictable.

On days like Grand Final Day, harmful drinking, gambling losses, and toxic masculinity are too often excused as “tradition.” Yelling at the TV, abusing refs, punching walls — but aggression doesn’t always stop there. It can spill into our homes and communities, fuelling family violence.

VAADA's Meg Bagnall (Lead - AOD and Family Violence) recently joined Inez on 3CR with Rachel Daniel (Ballarat Community Health) and Christine du Toit (Windana) to talk about harm-reduction strategies for people who use violence, and safety planning for those experiencing it.

It’s time to stop excusing aggression as “just part of sport” — and start keeping families safe.

(tune in at 10 minutes and 50 seconds)

Workforce Development

Coming up on Elevate...

Sector Updates