Wynter, Jo --- "Central Australian Aboriginal Alcohol Planning Unit: A Challenge for Change" [1991] AboriginalLawB 37; (1991) 1(51) Aboriginal Law Bulletin 7

• Central Australian Aboriginal Alcohol Planning Unit: A Challenge For Change

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Central Australian Aboriginal Alcohol Planning Unit:
A Challenge for Change

by Jo Wynter

“We’re here to help your community beat the grog” is the message from the Central Australian Aboriginal Alcohol Planning Unit (CAAAPU). CAAAPU is working throughout Central Australia (in communities and organisations out bush as well as in Alice Springs and Tennant Creek) to develop strategies to turn around the devastating problems caused by alcohol abuse.

Doug Walker, CAAAPU's co-ordinator explained:

"Our goal is to get a comprehensive action plan that brings together all the elements needed to really make big changes in all our communities. The key factors include first class, culturally centred treatment and training"

"And to be effective these programs must be developed, controlled and staffed by Aboriginal people."

Funded by ATSIC and the Federal Department of Community Services and Health for 6 months, CAAAPU was established in March this year. It is overseen and guided by 45 Aboriginal communities and organisations. The CAAAPU team, presently4 people, is based in Alice Springs and hires community workers, consultants and interpreters as needed.

"We travel all over the place, speaking at meetings, talking to people, getting ideas from bush and town," Doug Walker explained.

"As well, we hold regular management meeting tele-conferences, linking bush people on the phone with town representatives. We send out over 1000 newsletters every 3 weeks, we have a CAAAPU song, a video, and we make good use of our local Aboriginal radio station, CAAMA; Imparja TV; the ABC and the press to spread the word."

The CAAAPU philosophy is simple and clear. As grog is the biggest problem facing Aboriginal people in Central Australia, alcohol abuse should be tackled immediately. With combined action, CAAAPU believes major social change can take- place, and Aboriginal people will then be empowered to deal with other problems such as health, housing, education and the criminal justice system.

CAAAPU also believes that the current academic debate as to whether alcoholism should be treated as a disease is of little practical relevance. Many people trying to get off grog find the 'disease model' a very useful way of understanding their problem. This neither blames nor absolves them (or society for that matter) from responsibility for addressing the problem.

Recently, after sentencing an Aboriginal man for the brutal murder of his wife, Mr Justice John Nader, who is the longest serving judge in the Northern Territory, stated:

"In all the years I have been dealing with Aboriginal [people in the] Supreme Court, I can only remember one case that was not alcohol related. Alcohol is not a mitigating factor in the Northern Territory criminal code. I am satisfied that gaol has no deterrent effect ... It doesn't mean you don't gaol people when we're sentencing people in a situation like this we have to reflect that this murdered woman's life is worth something. The problem facing me as a Judge has always been that the only alternatives to gaol are rarely appropriate for this type of offender. We see the same faces, we hear the same story repeated. So it is wonderful to hear of this positive, constructive action coming from Aboriginal people themselves. Aboriginal women are showing a real militancy, in the good sense of the word. I'd like to see more of it .... by making the public aware of their determination, Australian taxpayers will understand their money is not wasted."

Over 75% of the 150 inmates currently in the Alice Springs gaol are Aboriginal and the vast majority are there for alcohol related offences. The Northern Territory Government has suggested building a new gaol at a cost of $20 million.

"I have just returned from Alberta, Canada where the gaols are emptying out as Native Indian people are beating the grog in their communities. Governments over there had faith in Indian treatment and training programs and funded them well. This faith has paid off as they are saving millions. We won't need a new gaol in Alice if we can get our programs up and running." Doug Walker said.

Doug is a recovered alcoholic and he recently spent four weeks in Poundmaker's Lodge and the Nechi Institute in Edmonton, Alberta. Along with Aboriginal Alcoholics Awareness (AAA) co-founder Doug Abbott and his wife Lana who was the Senior Health Worker with the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress for 10 years, Doug Walker went through a treatment program as a client, and visited a number of other successful outreach and after-care programs in Alberta.

"We've gained a lot from the Indian mob. Actually seeing what has been done has given us confidence that we can do it here too."

CAAAPU has invited Indian leader Eric Shirt, founder of Poundmaker's Lodge, and two experienced helpers to assist local people to run the first counsellor training program in Central Australia. "We'll then be ready to run our first 28 day treatment program in October", Doug said.

Although Central Australian statistics reflect growing alcohol and substance abuse problems, there have been no treatment facilities established. A researcher evaluating the sobering up shelter in Alice Springs has found that in the four and a half years of its operation, police made over 37,000 apprehensions for public drunkenness and 121 people made up one third of these. One man was apprehended 409 times! Proper treatment is needed. We must break this cycle.

CAAAPU repeatedly points out that prevention and treatment are cheaper than gaol.

While assisting communities to refine their thinking and develop local and regional plans, CAAAPU is lobbying both Government and the private sector for funds that will maintain the momentum, and provide money for ongoing, dedicated treatment and training facilities together with education, prevention and community development projects.