Grog War republication

Alexis Wright's Grog War, on alcohol abuse in Tennant Creek, is to be republished in Nov 2009 ... details.

Very much needed, considering latest events there.

Judy Stove in Romania

On behalf of the Restraint Project, Judy Stove visited and spoke at the Alcohol: historical and social aspects) conference in Alba Iulia, Romania, on Aug 28-29, 2009.

She spoke about the early Quaker missionaries in Australia, who founded the temperance movement, but were not advocates of abstinence. Her thesis was that their commitment to true moderation rather than abstinence was largely a function of Quaker pragmatism, but was also grounded in principles which rejected the prohibition of a practice just because it could be abused.

In her capacity as a visitor from distant Australia, she was also briefly interviewed by Romanian TV about the Restraint Project.

Full report

Under the Influence

Ross Fitzgerald's history of alcohol in Australia, Under the Influence, was to have been launched by NSW Health Minister John Della Bosca. Unfortunately he was busy in another part of the restraint terrain, having resigned in a sex scandal ... story.