President’s Report 2019

2019 has seen the consolidation of the unprecedented amount of action in support of drug law reform that occurred last year. Uniting’s FairTreatment campaign continued to be the greatest cause of optimism. It focused this year on the exceptional full length Half a Million Steps film produced by Dominic Streeter. The film beautifully engages both heart and mind. Marion whose words and face are woven into it and Bill both attended the premier of the film in Sydney on 13 June. Much of our efforts since then have been devoted to encouraging decision-makers and the community generally to see it. To my mind as a parent the most moving aspect of this most moving collection of testimonies was the courageously frank interview with Tony Trimingham about his own initial reactions appropriate and inappropriate to his beloved Damien’s confession that he was using heroin. There can be no greater courage than that shown by Tony in turning his horror and rage into plugging the void he experienced  in services and support for families and facing off the powerful forces that block sensible, humane change.