Conversation with... Steve Allsop

This weekend I will...

Go for a couple of long walks in preparation for my next hiking holiday, swim around 4km over the two days and, as always, watch a couple of community football games and one AFL game – I’m still enmeshed in Australian Rules. It must be a religion because I have much faith that is not often matched by tangible outcomes. I will also prepare for my last day of work at the National Drug Research Institute on June 30. Although it’s my last paid day, I will still be affiliated and engaged there and I intend to remain active in many areas of the AOD field.

I'll never forget...

Many, many things. My children’s gift of their continued presence in my life, the addition of my two grandchildren, and the support from close friends and strangers when my wife passed away. Nor will I forget the wonderful and unexpected gift of someone else coming into my life.

I'd originally planned to work...

In the drug field. I started out as a volunteer and peer worker when I was 17 and here I still am. The original plan was ‘rock God’ but with neither the looks nor musical capability…

For my next holiday...

I have three lined up this year to kick off my retirement. Up to remote parts of the East Kimberley, a few weeks later to Scotland and the Lake District, then to Rome, Venice and Vienna. I love walking holidays.

My number one goal for 2025 is...

To keep my knees! But seriously, to continue to enjoy those I love, keep enmeshed in football, to master my new pizza oven, and to continue to contribute to the alcohol and other drug sector.

In retirement, I’m most looking forward to…

More walking, more time with family, and continuing to contribute to our sector.

Career wise, I’m most proud of...

The opportunity to meet so many people who are committed, sometimes with so few resources, to make a difference, and when I see people who I support doing so well – not because of me, but hopefully because I could nudge their talent and commitment in a way that helped. And I am proud of the trust people have felt able to put in me – from peak bodies to service providers, community leaders and Elders and senior government officials. A great reward to be so trusted.

If I had the power to change one thing in the sector right now, I would…

Find a way to take out the stigma and discrimination. They underlie all the key challenges we face.

The sector’s biggest challenge going forward is…

As above. And to have more secure funding for the sector, based on quality and not on pitting agencies with already limited resources in competition with each other. And much more investment in preventive effort that is based around the factors that influence wellbeing – cultural security, and social, structural and environmental factors. We keep hearing these are critical, but we don’t actively attend to them and invest in them as we should.

My most enduring memory from almost 50 years in the AOD sector is…

Watching those committed to harm reduction make such a difference to people’s lives and communities with so few resources. And one person I am particularly proud to know, Mick Murray, who devoted so much to making sure his daughter’s wishes were honoured to do something to address the awful impact of stigma and discrimination on the lives of those affected by alcohol and other drug use. And one other key thing I take away is the friendship, and affection of many people, including two I will single out – Michael Farrell and Robert Ali. Thank you all.

Looking back, one thing I did that had an impact I did not expect…

I aspired to be a research assistant. Starting out as a peer worker, I never imagined that taking a punt and becoming a research assistant would result in me having the career I have had. I feel that every job I ever had has added to my career in some way – even as a DJ.  Is there something I wish I hadn't done? Quite a few things, but then I’ve always lived my life on the basis that bad experiences can hurt but don’t define you – it’s what you do with the experience that matters (that, of course, doesn’t include where I might have unthinkingly hurt someone else).

If I was starting out in the AOD field now, the advice I would give my younger self is…

Always remember the humanity of what you do. That’s been a driving force for me. Also, many people specialise. I might have advanced my status if I had continued to focus on relapse. I’ve not done that. I’ve become a sort of jack of all trades, not necessarily a master of any, but the strength of that is maintaining a broad understanding of alcohol and other drugs, and that’s something that can be missing for some people – it can limit one’s sense of context of our work. I think maintaining an understanding of how your work fits into a broader context is really important. And the other piece of advice I would give myself is always maintain good collegiate relationships with people. Life’s too short not to do that.

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