Inaugural David Penington Oration commemorates his advocacy for compassionate drug policies
Mick Palmer AO APM giving the oration. Photo: Chris Franklin.
The inaugural David Penington Oration: A Courageous Legacy was held on November 15, 2023, in honour of Professor David Penington AC. A public health advocate and public intellectual, Professor Penington passed away earlier this year at the age of 92.
Professor Penington had a long and distinguished association with the University of Melbourne – first as a student, later as Professor of Medicine, then Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, and then as Vice-Chancellor.
In 1984, Professor Penington led the National AIDS Taskforce, undertaking critical work at the early stages of the AIDS epidemic and positioning Australia as a global leader in HIV/AIDS response.
In the local community, he was influential in improving the lives and health outcomes of people suffering from drug and alcohol addiction.
He chaired the Victorian Premier’s Drug Advisory Council and the Victorian Government’s Drug Policy Expert Committee, promoting significant reforms which treated drugs as a public health issue, rather than a criminal one. He also played a central role in establishing the North Richmond Community Health Service and applied his knowledge and experience to setting up programs in rural Victoria.
The David Penington Oration, which took place at Victoria’s Parliament house with guests from across the political, academic and medical communities, commemorated his life and efforts in advocating for rational and compassionate drug policies.
Mick Palmer AO APM, former Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police and Orator at the event, spoke about the urgent need for cannabis law reform, and called for cannabis to be decriminalised with a strictly regulated market.
He remembered Professor Penington as “a man who throughout his life, demonstrated real leadership in many areas of deep community concern and controversy […] Never shy of engaging in a contest of ideas and committed to evidence-based research and practice, he left a genuinely courageous legacy.”
Former Victorian Premiers the Honourable Jeff Kennett AC and the Honourable Steve Bracks AC also spoke warmly of Professor Penington.
L-R: Hon. Steve Bracks AC, Kathryn Greiner AO, Mick Palmer AO APM, Hon. Jeff Kennett AC. Photo: Chris Franklin.
The Hon. Jeff Kennet described him as “a great intellect, but he was more than that because he was a great human being as well”.
The Hon. Steve Bracks said: “David Penington was indeed a fearless, brave man. He was a man of conviction. He provided advice to successive governments […] on drug policy in Victoria, advice the politicians and department heads didn’t often want to hear – for example, his courageous advice which he gave to the Kennett Government and to my Government too, to have supervised injecting facilities. I have no doubt that David Penington’s recommendations saved thousands of lives.”
Professor Penington’s son, Professor Tony Penington, also spoke at the event. The event was officiated by Kathryn Greiner AO, the Chair of the Penington Institute Board.
The Penington Institute, established in 2014, continues Professor Penington’s legacy in its promotion of humane Australian drug policies.