Many people have been involved in the development of the Rethinking Drinking suite of alcohol educational materials over the years.

In the 1980’s and early 1990’s, although Australian governments had all embraced the policy of Harm Minimisation , there were no quality classroom materials on alcohol.  Australia’s major brewers – through their industry association, the AAB Inc – were pleased to provide considerable funding to develop materials which could meet that need.

The original Rethinking Drinking kits (1997 edition) were developed by the Youth Research Centre at the University of Melbourne, after years of extensive research and testing.  In some states, the cost of training teachers in how to use the new kits was also funded by the brewers.

In late 2004 a revised version of the kits were sent to all schools.  The material in the kits was revised by the Australian Council of Health, Physical Education & Recreation (ACHPER).  This edition was funded by then Commonwealth Department of Education, Science and Training.

Copies of the classroom teaching kits (2004 edition) are available for purchase from ACHPER through their online bookshop – www.achper.org.au.

In 2005 the AAB Inc – which holds copyright to all of the Rethinking Drinking materials – was granted funds by the Alcohol Education & Rehabilitation Foundation to develop this web-based resource for Alcohol Information Nights. 

Of course, whilst the brewing industry is proud of its long term stewardship of Rethinking Drinking, staff at the AAB Inc do not claim to be either health or education specialists: so the development of this website was outsourced to professionals in the area.