ABC Journalist Stan Grant will host a panel of eminent experts discussing if it is time to legalise drugs at the Sydney Wesley Conference Centre on Thursday, June 23.

The Right Honourable Helen Clark, Chair of The Global Commission on Drug Policy, will open the forum via ZOOM, speaking about the Commission’s recent report “Time to End Prohibition”.

The Panel:

• The Honourable Michael Kirby - former Justice of the High Court
• The Honourable Bob Carr - former NSW Premier
• Emma Maiden - head of Advocacy at Uniting
• Dr Alex Wodak AM - Chair of Australia21
• Dr Annie Madden AO - lived experience advocate and Executive Director of Harm Reduction Australia

Short speeches and the panel discussion will be followed by an audience Q&A.

Information Tables from leading AOD Organisations

Get the facts from Australia's leading Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) organisations with stalls providing information about drugs, addiction and their services. Naloxone demonstrations before the forum will show how to administer Naloxone in an overdose emergency and much more.

Books and Pill Testing Kits for Sale

Merchandise, books from authors such as Anthony Loewenstein and Johann Hari as well as Reagent Drug Testing Kits and Fentanyl Testing Strips will be available to purchase on the night.

The Panel

Join Stan Grant and the all-star panel to discuss if it is time to legalise drugs.

Stan Grant Host

ABC Current Affairs Journalist

Multi-award winning current affairs host, author and adventurer, Stan Grant is the Indigenous Affairs Editor for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

He has been a political correspondent for the ABC, a Europe correspondent based in London, a senior international correspondent for CNN based in Hong Kong and Beijing, managing editor for National Indigenous Television and international editor for Sky News.

Passionate about justice and humanity, Stan can link the importance of leadership and the impact of history and above all believes in the power and resilience of people.

The Hon Bob Carr

Former NSW Premier and Federal Foreign Minister

Former NSW Premier and Federal Foreign Minister. At the height of Australia’s heroin crisis in 1999, he held a bipartisan drug summit leading to Australia’s first and until recently only medically supervised injecting room credited with saving thousands of lives. He also pioneered other harm reduction policies, including drug courts that allowed magistrates to offer treatment options rather than impose prison sentences. Bob is an esteemed elder statesman of Australian politics and has written many books including “Diary of a Foreign Minister”.

The Hon Michael Kirby

Former Justice of the High Court

Michael Kirby was a long-time Judge in Australia and remains engaged with universal human rights. Since his judicial retirement, he has taken part in many United Nations activities. He is currently Co-Chair of the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute. Michael's work convinced him of the need for a radical revision of national and international drug law and policy, to bring this into closer alignment with universal human rights, proportionality and justice.

Emma Maiden

Head of Advocacy at Uniting NSW and ACT

Emma Maiden is the Head of Advocacy at Uniting NSW and ACT, and leads their Fair Treatment campaign promoting a compassionate response to drug use. Emma has spoken out about the outdated drug laws and the impacts of civil and criminal sanctions that disadvantage vulnerable populations. She will talk about the Uniting's discussion paper “Possession and Use of Drugs: Options for Changing the Law”.

Dr Annie Madden AO

Lived experience advocate and executive director of Harm Reduction Australia

Doctor Annie Madden has focused her professional career on promoting health and human rights for people who use drugs. Former CEO of the Australian Injecting & Illicit Drug Users League (AIVL) as well as a founding member of Harm Reduction Australia, Annie advocates for evidence-centred health and drug policy and harm reduction.

Dr Alex Wodak AM

Physician and Chair of Australia21

Dr Wodak is President of the Australian Drug Law Reform Foundation and is a former President of the International Harm Reduction Association. He helped establish the first needle syringe programme (1986) and the first medically supervised injecting centre (1999) in Australia when both were pre-legal.

Greg Chipp

Managing Director of Drug Policy Australia

Greg Chipp has been actively involved in politics and public policy for several decades, beginning with his involvement with the Australian Democrats, a political party founded by his father. After recovering from his own addictions, Greg founded Drug Policy Australia, as a Health Promotion Charity, promoting harm reduction strategies that mitigate the health risks of drug use.

Come join us at the Wesley Conference Centre, Pitt Street, Sydney, on June 23 for a fascinating insight into this urgent policy issue that's killing young Australians.