Professor Steve Allsop presented at the 2020 NDARC Webinar Series on Thursday, 10 Spetember 2020.
Drawn from last year’s James Rankin oration at the APSAD conference, Professor Steve Allsop looks at the divide between those who argue that researchers have a critical role in policy advocacy, and others who say this should be left to the bureaucrats and politicians. While research involves logical argument, fidelity and robust methods, politics and policy seem to be more about bargains, timing, the next election, and predominant beliefs.
Dr Allsop focuses on the excellent work of Alison Ritter and Simon Lenton to examine the evidence and includes his personal experiences as someone who has worked in various government and academic roles.
Speaker Bio:
Professor Steve Allsop, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia
Steve Allsop has been involved in prevention, treatment and policy research and practice, and service management for almost 40 years, working in government and academic positions. He has been the Director of two Australian national drug research centres, in Adelaide (NCETA) and subsequently Perth (NDRI) and for many years he worked in senior roles with the WA Government Drug and Alcohol Office.
Other current roles include: Chair WA Network of Alcohol & other Drug Agencies; Deputy Chair, Australian National Advisory Council on Alcohol and other Drugs; and member of Child Death and Domestic Violence Review Panel, Ombudsman (WA), and the Mental Health and Welfare Advisory Group Australian Defence Force. In 2015 he received the APSAD Senior Scientist Award, was the winner of the National Honour Roll as part of the 2017 Alcohol and Drug Excellence and Innovation Awards and delivered the 2019 James Rankin Oration.