NSW Drugs forum ends on sour note as diversity challenged

By NEVE BRISSENDEN

Indigenous groups have hit out at a landmark drug summit in NSW for being disrespectful and not inclusive.

The four-day forum, a cornerstone in rewriting the drug laws and policies affecting three in 10 Australians, ended with individuals in group sessions voting on priority areas to reduce drug-related harms.

But instead of reporting back to the summit on the priorities, key community leaders took to the stage to criticise the NSW government on the organisation of the event.

University of Sydney Associate Professor Michael Doyle said Indigenous perspectives were not heard or understood at the summit.

A day earlier, he’d appeared on the same stage after being called up during the middle of a panel discussion after organisers realised they were lacking an Indigenous voice.

“We feel that we haven’t been included in the way we should have been in this summit,” Dr Doyle said.

“We feel it wasn’t done in a way where we felt safe to express what we wanted to express.”

The four-day summit, which included sessions in Sydney and regional NSW, has been pitched as an attempt to find broad consensus for the next decade of drug policy.