Dr Peter d'Abbs

Honorary Fellow

Qualifications:

PhD, University of Melbourne, 1983; Master of Arts, University of Exeter, 1977; Bachelor of Arts (Honours), University of Melbourne, 1971; Diploma in Modern Languages (Chinese), University of New England, 2008.

Approved level of HDR supervision at Charles Darwin University:

Principal Supervisor for PhD

Location:

Brisbane

Biography:

Dr Peter d'Abbs is an Honorary Fellow specialising in substance misuse studies at Menzies School of Health Research, and Honorary Professor at University of Queensland's School of Public Health.

He is a sociologist with a research background in alcohol and other drug policy issues and in program evaluation, much of it conducted in Northern Australia.

In recent years he has conducted evaluations of alcohol management plans and other initiatives to reduce alcohol problems in Tennant Creek, Katherine, Groote Eylandt and Gove Peninsula, all in the Northern Territory, and in Derby (WA) and Mt Isa (QLD). He has co-authored a review of interventions into volatile substance misuse, and is currently engaged in a national evaluation of the rollout of low aromatic fuel in communities affected by petrol sniffing.

From 2001 to 2010 he was a director of the Alcohol Education and Rehabilitation Foundation (AERF – subsequently renamed Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education), and in 2007 he was placed on the Honour Roll of the National Drug and Alcohol Awards for his research into substance misuse in remote and regional settings.

  1.  d'Abbs, P., & Chenhall, R. D. (2013). Spirituality and religion in responses to substance misuse among Indigenous Australians. Substance Use & Misuse, 48, 1-16. doi: 10.3109/10826084.2013.800746
  2.  d'Abbs, P. (2012). Problematizing alcohol through the eyes of the other: Alcohol policy and Aboriginal drinking in the Northern Territory, Australia. Contemporary Drug Problems, 39(3), 371-396.
  3.  MacLean, S., & d'Abbs, P. (2011). Five challenges for volatile substance misuse policy and intervention in Australia. Drug and Alcohol Review, 30, 223-227. doi: DOI: 10.1111/j.1465-3362.2010.00232.x
  4.  d'Abbs, P., & MacLean, S. (2011). Petrol Sniffing Interventions Among Australian Indigenous Communities Through Product Substitution: From Skunk Juice to Opal. Substance Use & Misuse, 46, 99-106.
  5.  d'Abbs, P., & MacLean, S. (2008). Volatile Substance Misuse: A Review of Interventions. National Drug Strategy Monograph Series No.65. Canberra: Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.
  6.  d'Abbs, P., MacLean, S., & Brady, M. (2008). From platitudes to policies: The evolving response to volatile substance misuse in Australia. In D. Moore & P. Dietze (Eds.), Drugs and Public Health: Australian Perspectives on Policy and Practice (pp. 39-48). South Melbourne: Oxford University Press.
  7.  d'Abbs, P. (2004). Alignment of the policy planets: behind the implementation of the Northern Territory (Australia) Living With Alcohol programme. [Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't]. Drug and Alcohol Review, 23(1), 55-66. doi: 10.1080/09595230410001645556
  8.  d'Abbs, P., & Brady, M. (2004). Other people, other drugs: the policy response to Indigenous petrol sniffing among Indigenous Australians. Drug and Alcohol Review, 23(3), 253-260.
  9.  d'Abbs, P., & Togni, S. (2000). Liquor licensing and community action in regional and remote Australia: a review of recent initiatives. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 24(1), 45-53.
  10. d'Abbs, P. (1998). Out of sight, out of mind? Licensed clubs in remote Aboriginal communities. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 22(6), 679-684.
Click here to view more Peter d'Abbs publications in PubMed.
  1. NT News | Aerosol deodorants off our Coles shelves

    NT News | Aerosol deodorants off our Coles shelves

    Date

    Coles has completely removed aerosol deodorants from the aisles of its Northern Territory stores.

  2. Dry Indigenous community 'months' from opening tavern to combat home-brew

    Dry Indigenous community 'months' from opening tavern to combat home-brew

    Date

    Peter d'Abbs, an honorary fellow at the Menzies School of Health Research in Brisbane, saidissues faced by dry communities, such as home-brew and 'sly grogging' (the illegal sale ofalcohol), were difficult to combat.

  3. NT’s experience shows there’s much more work needed on booze

    NT’s experience shows there’s much more work needed on booze

    Date

    An evaluation of the NT’s program by the Menzies School of Health in 2018 offers food for thought for WA.

  4. Media Release | Substance misuse researcher honoured with Menzies Medallion

    Media Release | Substance misuse researcher honoured with Menzies Medallion

    Date

    Long-term health researcher, Professor Peter d’Abbs, has been awarded the prestigious Menzies Medallion.

  5. Sunday Territorian | Liquor watches drunk on power

    Sunday Territorian | Liquor watches drunk on power

    Date

    Sunday Soapbox opinion piece - Hayley Sorensen - mentions Menzies research on the costs and harms of alcohol consumption in the Northern Territory

  6. Campus Morning Mail | The Alcohol and Drug Foundation 2019 research award goes to Menzies School of Health Research

    Campus Morning Mail | The Alcohol and Drug Foundation 2019 research award goes to Menzies School of Health Research

    Date

    The Alcohol and Drug Foundation 2019 research award goes to the Alcohol, Other Drugs and Gambling Team at the Menzies School of Health Research, in Darwin

  7. The social and economic costs and harms of alcohol consumption

    The social and economic costs and harms of alcohol consumption

    Date

    This report presents an overview of the social and economic costs and harms of alcohol consumption in the Northern Territory (NT).

  8. According to NT government, their alcohol reforms are working

    According to NT government, their alcohol reforms are working

    Date

    The social and economic cost of alcohol-related harm in the NT has increased according to research released by the Menzies School of Health Research.

  9. NT News | Alcohol related problems are costing Territory Taxpayers

    NT News | Alcohol related problems are costing Territory Taxpayers

    Date

    Menzies School of Health Research | social and economic costs of alcohol in the Northern Territory.

  10. NT govt claims grog reforms are working

    NT govt claims grog reforms are working

    Date

    The social and economic cost of alcohol-related harm in the NT had increased from $642 million in 2009 to $1.38 billion per year, research released on Thursday by the Menzies School of Health Research said.

  11. Katherine goes against the trend on alcohol harm

    Katherine goes against the trend on alcohol harm

    Date

    Further, research conducted by the Menzies School of Health Research shows the social and economic cost of alcohol-related harm in the NT has increased from $642 million in 2009 to $1.38 billion per year.

  12. NTG Release | Alcohol Reforms are Cutting Crime

    NTG Release | Alcohol Reforms are Cutting Crime

    Date

    Further, research conducted by the Menzies School of Health Research shows the social and economic cost of alcohol-related harm in the NT has increased from $642 million in 2009 to $1.38 billion per year.

  13. ‘Backlash’: Northern Territory alcohol floor price divides community

    ‘Backlash’: Northern Territory alcohol floor price divides community

    Date

    This is how it’s always been in the Territory – a “dualistic framing” – according to Peter d’Abbs, the professor of substance misuse studies at the Menzies School of Health Research.

  14. ABC Radio Alice Springs | Professor Peter d'Abbs

    ABC Radio Alice Springs | Professor Peter d'Abbs

    Date

    Professor Peter d'Abbs -Professor of substance misuse studies, licensed clubs in remote communities history and possibilities.

  15. Sustained reduction in petrol sniffing after low aromatic fuel rollout

    Sustained reduction in petrol sniffing after low aromatic fuel rollout

    Date

    Researchers from The University of Queensland and Menzies School of Health Research have evaluated prevalence and patterns of inhaling petrol since the introduction of low aromatic fuel (LAF).

  16. Koori Mail | Liquor permit schemes in the spotlight

    Koori Mail | Liquor permit schemes in the spotlight

    Date

    LIQUOR permit schemes in the Northern Territory can be made easier to implement and more accountable to local communities, an NT Government commissioned report has found.

  17. Report urges simpler liquor permit management in communities

    Report urges simpler liquor permit management in communities

    Date

    Liquor permit schemes in the Northern Territory (NT) can be made easier to implement and more accountable to local communities, a NT Government-commissioned report has found.

  18. Petrol sniffing stunts the growth of children

    Petrol sniffing stunts the growth of children

    Date

    “Petrol sniffing makes you shorter, and there’s no way to catch up even after you stop sniffing” says Professor Andrew Lawrence at the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health

  19. Research: petrol sniffing on decline

    Research: petrol sniffing on decline

    Date

    Petrol sniffing rates in Indigenous communities have declined since the introduction of low aromatic unleaded fuel (LAF), a study by Menzies School of Health Research has revealed.

  20. Sharp decreases in petrol sniffing rates

    Sharp decreases in petrol sniffing rates

    Date

    NEW research has found that petrol sniffing in Indigenous communities across the Northern Territory has declined by 30 per cent since 2011.

  21. Petrol sniffing on the decline in Indigenous communities

    Petrol sniffing on the decline in Indigenous communities

    Date

    Petrol sniffing rates in Indigenous communities have declined since the introduction of low aromatic unleaded fuel (LAF), a study by Menzies School of Health Research (Menzies) has found. The results of this study were released today by Senator the Hon Nigel Scullion Minister for Indigenous Affairs.

  22. Barkly fuel ban to stem sniffing

    Barkly fuel ban to stem sniffing

    Date

    REGULAR unleaded petrol could be outlawed in Tennant Creek as early as January, in a bid to completely stamp out petrol sniffing in the Barkly.

  23. Queensland mayor slams Commonwealth move to ban regular unleaded fuel on Palm Island

    Queensland mayor slams Commonwealth move to ban regular unleaded fuel on Palm Island

    Date

    A north Queensland mayor has slammed the Federal Government's decision to ban the sale of regular unleaded petrol in his community.

  24. Report reveals decline in petrol sniffing

    Report reveals decline in petrol sniffing

    Date

    The report has shown that in 15 Aboriginal communities where available data enables comparisons to be made, there was more than an 80 per cent decline in the number petrol sniffers from 2005-07 to 2011-12.

  25. Menzies research reveals marked decline in petrol sniffing

    Menzies research reveals marked decline in petrol sniffing

    Date

    A Menzies report has revealed a significant decline in the prevalence of petrol sniffing in a number of Aboriginal communities across Australia.

  26. SBS World News: Do banned drinkers' registers work?

    SBS World News: Do banned drinkers' registers work?

    Date

    The Federal and NT governments have been duelling with conflicting claims over whether an alcohol control measure was working and should be reinstated, or whether it was right to be axed.

  27. The Conversation: New singers, old songs: alcohol bans in Aboriginal communities

    The Conversation: New singers, old songs: alcohol bans in Aboriginal communities

    Date

    The newly elected conservative governments in Queensland and the Northern Territory have opened the way to relaxing laws restricting access to alcohol in Aboriginal communities.

  28. The Conversation: Unfair and unbalanced: misreporting the petrol sniffing ‘scourge’

    The Conversation: Unfair and unbalanced: misreporting the petrol sniffing ‘scourge’

    Date

    Once again, petrol sniffing in Indigenous communities is in the headlines. And once again, sadly, the restraint that newspapers normally exercise in reporting drug issues among non-Indigenous Australians has been thrown aside.