Key evidence that led to the landmark Victorian Administrative and Civil Tribunal (VCAT) knockback of the Dan Murphy's liquor store in Daylesford came from an increasingly influential voice that provides crucial evidence about the harms caused by alcohol and other drugs (AOD).

Drawing data from paramedic records, the AODstats site maps demographic and geographic trends where people live, work and socialise, revealing the everyday realities behind ambulance attendances related to alcohol or other drugs.

“By providing timely information on the true scale and locations of AOD-related harms, the AODstats site has become an increasingly valuable evidence base for health services, local governments and advocates to shape policy, target resources and respond to issues where they are most needed,” explained Turning Point’s Strategic Lead, National Addiction and Mental Health Surveillance Unit (NAMHSU), Dr Rowan Ogeil.

Now in its second decade, the world-first project managed by Turning Point provides publicly accessible, interactive maps on Victorian ambulance attendances, hospital admissions, treatment episodes, deaths related to alcohol or other drugs, and more.

“The VCAT decision to knock back the Dan Murphy liquor store in Daylesford is significant as both the community submission and the VCAT tribunal used data from AODStats,” said Turning Point’s Executive Clinical Director Professor Dan Lubman. “We are proud to see the evidence we provide being used to prevent harm among local communities.”

In handing down its decision, the VCAT tribunal included statistics provided to the community by Turning Point via AODstats, which identified higher hospital admissions for alcohol-related harms, higher rates of alcohol-related serious road injuries, and higher alcohol-related deaths in 2022 for the local government area (LGA).

Enabling targeted harm reduction programs

“Since users of the site can filter by their LGA, local governments and policymakers have told us how much they value being able to identify exactly where harm reduction programs should be focused and where services are needed most,” said Turning Point Research Fellow Jessica Killian, who has managed the site since its inception.

Examples of this targeted approach in action include AODstats data informing VicHealth-led research on local government alcohol‑harm minimisation strategies, contributing to Maribyrnong City Council’s AOD policy development, and highlighting that Knox City Council has one of the highest per capita alcohol‑related hospital admission rates in its region.

In metropolitan Melbourne, AODstats identified higher rates of ambulance attendances and hospitalisations associated with alcohol and other drugs. As a result, the data is a focus of the City of Melbourne Alcohol and Other Drug Services and Stakeholder Network meetings, which monitor the impacts of alcohol and other drugs on their community. 

“We value working with Turning Point to better understand emerging drug trends in our city,” said Maria Plakourakis, Senior Policy Officer at the City of Melbourne.

“Their evidence base is powerful and provides invaluable insights related to alcohol and other drug harms in the community,” she said.

Informing policy, planning and licensing decisions

Other examples of the impact of the site include data on high rates of heroin-related attendances in North Richmond, which informed the Victorian Government’s decision to establish the state’s first Medically Supervised Injecting Centre in the LGA.

The Victorian Liquor Commission and other regulatory bodies drew on data from the site to assess the public‑health impacts of alcohol outlet density and opening hours, strengthening arguments for licensing restrictions.

VicHealth utilised evidence from the site when developing their Alcohol Strategy 2019-2023, while recent findings on GHB-related harms highlighted urgent service needs in regional Victoria, and findings of increased alcohol harms over the Easter long weekend are leading to service planning responses.

“We also created baseline indicators before the introduction of SafeScript, providing vital evidence for researchers evaluating the introduction and effects of prescription monitoring policies and informing clinical and public‑health responses,” said Ms Killian.

Identifying at-risk populations and supporting violence prevention planning

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the site proved especially valuable, identifying unexpected at-risk populations such as adolescent females experiencing elevated rates of self-harm, documenting the sharp decline in heroin-related attendances during lockdowns, and offering unique insight into the negative impacts of alcohol during the period of increased stress, anxiety, feelings of isolation and economic uncertainty.

The work has also been instrumental in protecting frontline workers. Turning Point data has been used to map patterns of aggression and violence at ambulance attendances by substance, time and context, which has supported prevention planning, risk‑reduction measures and paramedic training.

“Perhaps the greatest value in the data is its ability to identify people at risk who might otherwise go undetected – those at risk of being injured as a result of alcohol-related violence,” said Dr Ogeil.

New research from the project identified hidden patterns of harm associated with intimate partner violence involving alcohol and other drugs. Another study found that access to a liquor license outlet was significantly associated with family violence-related ambulance attendances, highlighting the need for public health interventions.

With over 30,000 visits annually, the ability to identify geographic hotspots and vulnerable groups via AODstats has enabled more effective and targeted solutions than previous one‑size‑fits‑all responses.

“A decade in, AODstats has become a powerful tool for every community,” Professor Lubman said. “If you care about where you live, work or socialise, this resource is for you.”

“Ensuring evidence is readily accessible helps us reduce harm, direct services to the right places and safeguard both frontline workers and the people most at risk,” he said. 

Access the site: AODstats by Turning Point

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