Review of the First Phase of the Petrol Sniffing Strategy Prepared for Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs URBIS STAFF RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS REPORT WERE: Director John Schwartzkoff Associate Director Dr Ania Wilczynski Aboriginal Consultant Kerry Reed-Gilbert, Kuracca Consultancy Support Staff Lynda Jones URBIS Australia Asia Middle East www.urbis.com.au TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 Introduction.......................................................................................................................................1 1.1 Background and context..........................................................................................................1 1.2 The Eight Point Plan for the Central Desert Region................................................................2 1.3 This review ..............................................................................................................................4 1.3.1 Aims of the review ...................................................................................................................4 1.4 Methodology ............................................................................................................................5 1.4.1 Literature overview ..................................................................................................................5 1.4.2 Fieldwork .................................................................................................................................5 1.4.3 Telephone interviews...............................................................................................................6 1.5 Structure of this report.............................................................................................................6 2 Lessons from the literature on petrol sniffing ..............................................................................7 2.1 Why petrol sniffing is an issue for concern..............................................................................7 2.2 Evidence for the effectiveness of petrol sniffing reduction strategies .....................................7 2.3 Measuring the impact of petrol sniffing strategies.................................................................10 3 Program logic .................................................................................................................................11 3.1 Key elements of the PSS program logic and policy context..................................................11 3.2 The causal logic of the impact of the Strategy on the OID indicators ...................................13 4 Planning, management and implementation of the Petrol Sniffing Strategy...........................15 4.1 Overall planning and management .......................................................................................15 4.2 Project success criteria..........................................................................................................16 4.3 Northern Territory ..................................................................................................................16 4.4 South Australia ......................................................................................................................18 4.5 Western Australia ..................................................................................................................19 5 The rollout of Opal fuel ..................................................................................................................20 5.1 Opal and its rollout.................................................................................................................20 5.2 Achievements of the rollout ...................................................................................................21 5.2.1 Extensive rollout ....................................................................................................................21 5.2.2 The high volume of Opal sales..............................................................................................22 5.2.3 Evidence of the reduced incidence of petrol sniffing.............................................................23 5.2.4 Limitations of the rollout.........................................................................................................23 5.3 Communication Strategy for the Opal rollout ........................................................................24 5.3.1 Effectiveness of the Opal Communication Strategy..............................................................25 5.4 Future activities .....................................................................................................................25 6 Facilitation of alternative youth activities....................................................................................26 6.1 Northern Territory ..................................................................................................................26 6.1.1 The IYS..................................................................................................................................26 6.2 The Expanded Central Desert Zone......................................................................................29 6.3 South Australia ......................................................................................................................30 6.4 Western Australia ..................................................................................................................31 7 Rehabilitation and treatment.........................................................................................................33 8 Communication strategies ............................................................................................................34 9 Uniform legal framework ...............................................................................................................35 Review of the First Phase of the Petrol Sniffing Strategy TABLE OF CONTENTS CONTINUED 10 Policing............................................................................................................................................36 11 Strengthening and supporting communities ..............................................................................37 12 Evaluation .......................................................................................................................................38 12.1 Development of a PSS Evaluation Strategy..........................................................................38 12.2 Development of a PSS Evaluation Framework .....................................................................38 12.3 Evaluation of the Communications Strategy for Opal ...........................................................39 12.4 Baseline data projects ...........................................................................................................39 12.4.1 DoHA .....................................................................................................................................39 12.4.2 FaHCSIA ...............................................................................................................................39 12.5 Impact evaluation of the Opal fuel roll-out.............................................................................39 12.6 Commentary ..........................................................................................................................40 13 Conclusions and recommendations ............................................................................................41 13.1 The theory behind the Strategy .............................................................................................41 13.2 The causal logic of the impact of the PSS on the OID indicators..........................................42 13.3 Policy context and design of the Strategy .............................................................................42 13.4 How well is the strategy being implemented? .......................................................................42 13.5 Suitability of the success criteria, measures and performance reporting..............................44 13.6 Activities and outputs to date ................................................................................................44 13.7 Stakeholder and participant feedback...................................................................................44 13.8 Reach of the Strategy to date................................................................................................45 13.9 Whole of government approach ............................................................................................45 13.10 Options for improvements and development.........................................................................46 13.10.1 Planning and governance...............................................................................................46 13.10.2 Opal roll-out ....................................................................................................................46 13.10.3 Youth activities ...............................................................................................................46 13.10.4 Supporting communities.................................................................................................46 13.10.5 Legislation ......................................................................................................................47