Alcohol misuse has long had devastating effects on health and wellbeing in rural and remote communities in Australia, among both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents.
A report commissioned by Menzies and released in late 2010, showed that the cost per person of alcohol-related harm in the Northern Territory (NT) is more than four times the national level.
The total social costs of alcohol consumption in the NT in 2004-05 were estimated at $641.8 million, including healthcare costs of $39.7 million and costs from road accidents of $36.6 million. This equated to $4197 for each adult in the NT, compared to a national cost of $943 per adult.
Our research focus:
- To translate research into policy to reduce alcohol related harm
- To work with communities to improve health care services
- To work with those directly affected by alcohol misuse
- To investigate the causes, patterns and impacts of alcohol-related brain impairment.
Our research impact:
- Developed appropriate evaluation strategies for informed public health policy on substance misuse
- Evaluated the Alcohol Management Plans for Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Katherine and East Arnhem
- Improved community understanding of alcohol misuse
- Informed treatment for alcohol misuse and related conditions.
Key staff:
Collaborators:
- Northern Territory Government
- Northern Territory Research and Innovation Board
- Alice Springs Hospital
- Melbourne University
- Remote Alcohol and Other Drug Workforce.
- Demand Study for Alcohol Treatment Services in the Northern Territory
- Social and Economic Costs and Harms of Alcohol Consumption in the Northern Territory
- Banned Drinker Register (BDR) | Twelve Month Impact Evaluation
- Banned Drinker Register (BDR) | Six Month Process Evaluation
- Cognitive response to thiamine replacement therapy in alcohol affected patients
- Evaluation of the Revised Katherine Alcohol Management Plan
- Optimum Thiamine Intervention (OpT In) for the treatment and prevention of Wernicke Korsakoff’s Syndrome: A RCT
- PACT - prevention of alcohol related crime and trauma
- START - screening and treatment of alcohol related trauma brief interventions trial
- Place-based Framework for Monitoring and Evaluation Alcohol Management Plans and other Alcohol Initiatives in the Northern Territory
- All Good Evaluation
- Mandatory Alcohol Treatment review
- d'Abbs, P. (2012). Problematizing alcohol through the eyes of the other: Alcohol policy and Aboriginal drinking in the Northern Territory, Australia. Contemporary Drug Problems, 39(3), 371-396.
- Hinton, R., & Nagel, T. (2012). Evaluation of a culturally-adapted training in Indigenous mental health and wellbeing for the alcohol and other drug sector. ISRN Public Health.
- Jayaraj, R., Thomas, M., Kavanagh, D., d'Abbs, P., Mayo, L., Thompson, V., Griffin, C. & Nagel, T. (2012). Study Protocol: Screening and Treatment of Alcohol-Related Trauma (START) - a randomised controlled trial. BMC Health Services Research, 12(1), 371.
- Dingwall, K. M., Maruff, P., & Cairney, S. (2011). Similar profile of cognitive impairment and recovery for Aboriginal Australians in treatment for episodic or chronic alcohol use. Addiction, 106(8), 1419-1426.
- d'Abbs, P., & Chenhall, R. D. (2013). Spirituality and religion in responses to substance misuse among Indigenous Australians. Substance Use & Misuse, 48, 1-16. doi: 10.3109/10826084.2013.800746
- Nagel, T., & Griffin, C. (2010). Promoting Self-management in Indigenous People with Mental Illness and Substance Misuse. International Journal of Psychosocial Rehabilitation, 15(2), 85-90
- d'Abbs, P. (2004). Alignment of the policy planets: behind the implementation of the Northern Territory (Australia) Living With Alcohol programme. [Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't]. Drug and Alcohol Review, 23(1), 55-66. doi: 10.1080/09595230410001645556
- d'Abbs, P., & Togni, S. (2000). Liquor licensing and community action in regional and remote Australia: a review of recent initiatives. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 24(1), 45-53.
- d'Abbs, P. (1998). Out of sight, out of mind? Licensed clubs in remote Aboriginal communities. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 22(6), 679-684.
- d'Abbs, P. (2010). Controlling 'rivers of grog': the challenge of alcohol problems in Australian Indigenous communities. Contemporary Drug Problems, 37, 499-524.
Click here to view more alcohol publications in PubMed.
- Liquor permits as a measure for controlling alcohol problems: a literature review
- Review of Liquor Permit schemes under the NT Liquor Act: Final Report
- PACT Protocol Manual
- The grog brain story - flipchart
- The grog brain story - video animation
- Yarning about alcohol
- Submission to the select committee on action to prevent foetal alcohol spectrum disorder
- An evaluation of the Gove Peninsula Alcohol Management System
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ABC Darwin Mornings | Sarah Clifford on the History of alcohol laws in the Northern Territory
Menzies PhD student Sarah Clifford on her study of the history of liquor laws in the Northern Territory and alcohol policy.
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Aboriginal students among CDU honorees at NT Training Awards
Jahdai Vigona, won this year’s award for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year.
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Menzies researchers say zero-alcohol beverages a cause for concern
A new paper by Menzies and The George Institute for Global Health questions whether zero alcohol beverages are giving young Australians a taste for alcohol.
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Zero alcohol dispute over “gateway drink” claims
The debate over the positioning of zero-alcohol beverage options has continued this week after a journal article suggested that no-alcohol options could be “gateway” drinks.
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Drinks industry responds to report linking zero-alcohol products and underage drinking
Alcohol Beverages Australia (ABA) CEO Andrew Wilsmore has criticised a research paper released by the Menzies School of Health Research that draws a link between zero-alcohol products and underage drinking.
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NT News | Beers fears for children
Experts at the Menzies School of Health Research and The George Institute for Global Health have raised concerns about the impact of exposing young people to booze branding and logos in supermarkets.
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Zeroing in on zero-alcohol beverages
They’re marketed as a healthier alternative to alcohol, but a commentary in Drug and Alcohol Review has called this into question, saying more research is needed to see whether they actually reduce drinking, or if they could be a gateway to more alcohol consumption.
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Zero-alcohol beverages – harm-minimisation tool or gateway drink?
Zero-alcohol beverages are becoming increasingly popular in Australia. Consumption of zero-alcohol products increased by 2.9 per cent in 2020 .
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Dry Indigenous community 'months' from opening tavern to combat home-brew
Peter d'Abbs, an honorary fellow at the Menzies School of Health Research in Brisbane, saidissues faced by dry communities, such as home-brew and 'sly grogging' (the illegal sale ofalcohol), were difficult to combat.
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Drinkers get grog despite register
The article, which was published in the Australian Journal of Public Administration last week, summarises the findings of two 2019 studies by the Menzies School of Health Research, in which NT licensees were interviewed about their views on alcohol policy.
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NT News | Panel Revealed
LARRAKIA Development Corporation CEO Nigel Browne and Menzies School of Health Research Aboriginal Programs associate director Heather D’Antoine are among four members named on the Independent Panel Review (IPR) into Endeavour Group’s proposal to build a Dan Murphy’s outlet in Darwin.
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Danny Gilbert names panel for Darwin Dan Murphy’s review
Mr Gilbert subsequently appointed four panel members – Heather D’Antoine, an honorary fellow with Menzies School of Health Research, Neil Westbury, chairman of the MJD Foundation and a former director of the Indigenous Land Corporation, Nigel Browne, former crown prosecutor and chief executive of the Larrakia Development Corporation, and Roland Houareau, general manager of INPEX in the Northern Territory.
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NT’s experience shows there’s much more work needed on booze
An evaluation of the NT’s program by the Menzies School of Health in 2018 offers food for thought for WA.
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Woolworths Group commits to Independent Panel Review of proposed Dan Murphy’s Darwin development
Danny is also currently a Member of the Social Impact Investing Taskforce Expert Panel at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, a Director of the Business Council of Australia, an Honorary Ambassador of the Menzies School of Health Research and prominent advocate for the Uluru Statement from the Heart and Constitutional recognition for Indigenous Australians.
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Health experts deny booze rules 'crusade'
James Smith, head of the alcohol, other drugs and gambling team at the Menzies School of Health Research, said the committee was focused on lowering the risk of harms from alcohol at a population wide level.
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Community leaders call for Woolworths Directors to abandon plans for Dan Murphy’s superstore
Today community leaders and organisations have released an open letter calling on the Woolworths Board to stop its plans to build one of Australia’s biggest Dan Murphy’s within walking distance of three dry Aboriginal communities.
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Sunday Territorian - Bushranger
Mention of Menzies Tuesday Seminar
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Sunday Territorian | Liquor watches drunk on power
Sunday Soapbox opinion piece - Hayley Sorensen - mentions Menzies research on the costs and harms of alcohol consumption in the Northern Territory
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Campus Morning Mail | The Alcohol and Drug Foundation 2019 research award goes to Menzies School of Health Research
The Alcohol and Drug Foundation 2019 research award goes to the Alcohol, Other Drugs and Gambling Team at the Menzies School of Health Research, in Darwin
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MENZIES SCHOOL OF HEALTH RESEARCH RECOGNISED WITH NATIONAL AWARD
Menzies School of Health Research, has won the Research Award at the 2019 National Alcohol and Other Drugs Excellence and Innovation Awards in Melbourne.
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Bottlo's 'burden of proof' | NT News
Prof James Smith provides evidence to NT Liqour Comission.
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CENTRALIAN ADVOCATE | Grog rehab bed shortage
Professor James Smith from the Menzies School of Health Research said investing more in brief interventions would save a great deal of money.
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NT News | NT Rehab beds short
There is a significant unmet demand for alcohol -related treatment in the Territory a new study has found.
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One in every 33 people in Northern Territory seeks treatment for alcohol problems
Menzies researcher Professor James Smith, said the study highlighted a gap between met and unmet demands for treatment services.
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Thousands of Territorians are accessing alcohol treatment
Researchers have found there were 42,871 episodes/encounters for alcohol treatment in NT in 2016/17.
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Demand Study for Alcohol Treatment Services in the NT
The study was jointly led by Menzies and the University of New South Wales, in partnership with the Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance of the NT (AMSANT).
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drinktank | Understanding the harm of alcohol consumption
On Drink Tank today, Professor James Smith from the Menzies School of Health Research looks at a couple of the major policies adopted by the government which were influential in securing this award for the Territory.
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The social and economic costs and harms of alcohol consumption
This report presents an overview of the social and economic costs and harms of alcohol consumption in the Northern Territory (NT).
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Counting the social, economic costs of alcohol harm
ABC Kimberley | The costs and harm of alcohol consumption have been analysed by Menzies School of Health in the Northern Territory.
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Counting the social, economic costs of alcohol harm
ABC Kimberley | The costs and harm of alcohol consumption have been analysed by Menzies School of Health in the Northern Territory.
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Curious Darwin: Do Darwin residents really drink more than other Aussies
A report released this month by the Menzies School of Health Research shows that the NT does indeed have the highest rates of alcohol consumption per capita in Australia.
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According to NT government, their alcohol reforms are working
The social and economic cost of alcohol-related harm in the NT has increased according to research released by the Menzies School of Health Research.
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Mix 104.9 Katie Wolf with Professor James Smith
Social and Economic Costs and Harms of Alcohol Consumption in the Northern Territory.
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NT govt claims grog reforms are working
The social and economic cost of alcohol-related harm in the NT had increased from $642 million in 2009 to $1.38 billion per year, research released on Thursday by the Menzies School of Health Research said.
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Katherine goes against the trend on alcohol harm
Further, research conducted by the Menzies School of Health Research shows the social and economic cost of alcohol-related harm in the NT has increased from $642 million in 2009 to $1.38 billion per year.
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Health survey of male Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander in the NT
The Alcohol, Other Drugs, and Gambling (AODG) Unit at Menzies School of Health Research is leading a research project relating to Health Literacy Among Young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Males in the NT.
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More banned drinkers busted trying to buy grog in Katherine than anywhere else
The independent evaluation overseen by Menzies School of Health Research points to a reduction in the supply of alcohol to problem drinkers and reductions for individuals whose alcohol related behaviour was causing repeat offending.
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‘Backlash’: Northern Territory alcohol floor price divides community
This is how it’s always been in the Territory – a “dualistic framing” – according to Peter d’Abbs, the professor of substance misuse studies at the Menzies School of Health Research.
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'Long-grassers' admit easy access to grog despite reintroduction of banned drinker register
A six-month review of the BDR conducted by the Menzies School of Health Research showed it was having an impact, but was not intended to work effectively in isolation.
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NT News | Data is lacking in BDR
The banned drinker register turns one tomorrow, but the NT Government is yet to begin to collect hospital data to evaluate its success.
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NT Government media release | Evaluation of BDR
Safer Communities and Generational Change: Alcohol Reform Progress Update Report and BDR Evaluation Response
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Katherine Times | Alcohol reforms rolled out, BDR on track
The BDR Evaluation covers the first 6 months of operation and was conducted independently by Menzies School of Health Research and released in June 2018.
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ABC Radio Alice Springs | Professor Peter d'Abbs
Professor Peter d'Abbs -Professor of substance misuse studies, licensed clubs in remote communities history and possibilities.
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NT Government | Evaluation Shows BDR Working to Cut Supply of Alcohol to Problem Drinkers
Menzies School of Health Research has provided independent oversight of the 6-month process evaluation of the implementation of the BDR.
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BDR is working, Govt says
Minister Fyles said Menzies School of Health Research has provided independent oversight, and that report is now available online for all Territorians to read.
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Hospitalizations spike as booze bill hits hard | NT News
Professor James Smith comments on government policy, hospital data and harm-minimisation strategies.
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EXPERT REACTION: NT to be first jurisdiction in Australia with minimum floor price on alcohol
The Northern Territory will become the first Australian jurisdiction to put a floor price on alcohol. The NT Government says that it would implement a minimum $1.30 floor price per standard drink for all alcoholic beverages. Aussie experts react to the story
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Alcohol harm minimisation investments welcomed by leading NT research institute
Menzies School of Health Research (Menzies) has welcomed the investment in alcohol harm minimisation strategies released today by the Northern Territory Government in The Northern Territory Alcohol Harm Minimisation Action Plan 2018-19.
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Dr John Boffa: reviewing NT alcohol policies
Policies that raise the price of the cheapest alcoholic beverages are effective in reducing consumption and, it follows, alcohol-related harm, such as injury, illness and violent offending, writes Dr John Boffa
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Rivers of grog could run dry - Centralian Advocate
Centralian Advocate, Alice Springs NT by John Boffa. The Expert Advisory Panel that reviewed the NT's alcohol policies and legislation is to be congratulated on a great job.
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Koori Mail | Liquor permit schemes in the spotlight
LIQUOR permit schemes in the Northern Territory can be made easier to implement and more accountable to local communities, an NT Government commissioned report has found.
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Report urges simpler liquor permit management in communities
Liquor permit schemes in the Northern Territory (NT) can be made easier to implement and more accountable to local communities, a NT Government-commissioned report has found.
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Seminar to debunk myths on alcohol and pregnancy
A seminar to inform stakeholders and the media about the prevention of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) will be hosted tomorrow Tuesday, 20 May by the Menzies School of Health Research.
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SBS World News: Do banned drinkers' registers work?
The Federal and NT governments have been duelling with conflicting claims over whether an alcohol control measure was working and should be reinstated, or whether it was right to be axed.
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Study probes answers to memory loss for problem drinkers
Menzies School of Health Research (Menzies) have announced a new project which could have global implications for preventing memory loss and other neurological problems for problem drinkers.