Your Invitation to the APSAD Adelaide 2023 Conference

Nestled between the picturesque Mount Lofty Ranges to the east, the Barossa Valley to the north, McLaren Vale to the south and Gulf St Vincent to the west, Adelaide/Tarndanya is the fifth most populous city in the country and was named Australia’s most liveable city in 2021.

Once known as the City of Churches, Adelaide is now famous for being home to Wang Wang and Fu Ni, the only pandas living in Australia, as well as for its many festivals and events including WOMAD, the Adelaide Fringe Festival, the Cabaret Festival, the Adelaide 500 Supercar race, and most important of all, the 2023 APSAD Conference from 12-15 November 2023.

The conference was held at the Adelaide Convention Centre, on the banks of the River Torrens in the heart of the CBD, a short walk from the cultural precinct of the Museum and Art Gallery, the shopping precinct of Rundle Mall, the Botanic Gardens and the Zoo, and the dining and entertainment precincts of Hindley and Gouger Streets.

Our theme for the 2023 conference is Unity In Diversity. This theme speaks to both the great diversity in our client groups including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, refugees, culturally and linguistically diverse people, and the LGBTQIA+ rainbow community; and also, to the crucial contributions of professionals from a range of backgrounds including researchers, public health professionals, policy makers, clinicians and peers, all with the common goal of improving outcomes for people who use alcohol and other drugs.

South Australia was the first Australian state to give women the vote and to decriminalise homosexuality. Our progressive culture persists to this day and South Australians continue to demonstrate a commitment to innovation in the field of AOD research and practice, including waste analysis, screening tool development and harm reduction initiatives.

Kate Senior & Vicky Cock