Our Role in Policy

CAPR is actively involved in promoting and facilitating alcohol research, as well as disseminating research findings to build capacity in the field. It has advised on and informed alcohol policy issues internationally, as well as at national, state and local government levels within Australia.

CAPR is represented on, and provides advice to key Australian policy advisory groups such as the National Alliance for Action on Alcohol and the Alcohol Policy Coalition. At an international level, CAPR is working with the World Health Organization to use their alcohol’s harm to others work as a model for projects in North America, Asia, and Europe.

CAPR serves as a vital resource on the evidence-base about alcohol for the public health community, social and government agencies, the media, and the larger society. It pursues this objective in a number of ways, including:

• publication of its original research findings and scholarly reviews and commentaries
• pursuing and producing reports on agreed-on alcohol policy-relevant research topics for the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE) and other funders
• disseminating its research, in the context of the relevant knowledge base, through presentations at community, governmental and professional meetings, and through participation in public seminars and events
• responding to requests concerning evidence from governmental, public health and other bodies, and from the media
• advising public health-oriented alcohol policy agencies and coalitions on the relevant research on emergent alcohol policy issues
• contributing to the development of the workforce of scholars competent in policy-relevant alcohol research in Australia and internationally through such means as postgraduate training, postdoctoral placements, internships and scholarly visits and exchanges
• working with the World Health Organization and other public health agencies, and other research groups in Australia and internationally, to develop the international base of knowledge concerning drinking patterns, alcohol-related harms, and effective alcohol policies.

CAPR and the Alcohol Policy Coalition

Michael Livingston and Robin Room are the CAPR representatives on the Alcohol Policy Coalition (APC), a coalition of five Victoria-based public health agencies working on alcohol policy matters.  The APC has regularly made submissions to inquiries and hearings and issued press releases on alcohol policy matters, including liquor licensing and regulatory enforcement, and alcohol availability and community amenity. While CAPR staff members have occasionally been spokespeople for the APC, their primary role has been in providing research evidence for positions and press releases, and ensuring that statements are evidence-based.

CAPR and the National Alliance for Action on Alcohol

The National Alliance for Action on Alcohol (NAAA) is a national counterpart of the APC, and comprises a broader base of over 50 organisations as members. Robin Room serves on the NAAA Executive Committee whose primary role is to provide evidence and advice on NAAA position statements, and edit NAAA press releases and submissions to reflect the evidence base.

CAPR and the Alcohol and Other Drugs Council of Australia

Robin Room recently finished a six-year term as President of the Alcohol and other Drug Council of Australia (ADCA), the peak organisation for the Australian not-for-profit sector in the alcohol and other drugs field. ADCA has an active program of preparing and disseminating policy positions, as well as testimony at hearings and submissions to inquiries. Michael Livingston is a member of ADCA’s Alcohol Policy Working Group, whose primary role is to provide input from the perspective of the research base.