Meet the Author Desmond Manderson by Manning Clark

Desmond Manderson discusses his book High Time: How Australia Changed Its Mind About Illegal Drugs in conversation with Malcolm McLeod, Anna Olsen, and Carolyn Strange at Kambri Cinema on April 28, 2026, from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM AEST. The event explores Australia's shift from prohibitionist drug policies rooted in early 20th-century racism to a harm minimisation approach driven by the AIDS crisis and medical advocacy. Topics include pill testing, injecting rooms, medicinal cannabis, the opioid crisis, and vaping, tracing the evolution toward compassion in drug law. Books will be available for signing from 5:30 PM and after the event, with a podcast to follow. Registration is required, and accessible parking is provided on the ANU campus.