Welcome to the Narcotics Anonymous Northern Australia Service Area Webpage

What is the Narcotics Anonymous Northern Australia Service Area?

The Narcotics Anonymous Northern Australia Service Area (NANASA) was created at the Local Service Conference (LSC) in October 2019 to incorporate Greater Queensland and the Northern Territory into one service area.

The Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast Fellowships are not included in the NANASA as they deliver services as separate entities.

How can Northern Australian members use this webpage?

This webpage is for members of the Narcotics Anonymous Northern Australia fellowship to:

  • post agendas, minutes and action items from Group Consciences, GSFs, Board meetings, H&I Hub meetings and Local Service Conferences
  • get information on service supported in Northern Australia including GSFs, workshop, H&I Hub, Local Service Conferences
  • register for Hospitals and Institutions service
  • access bank details to fund flow group Seventh Tradition
  • advertise service positions
  • post blog entries
  • participate in surveys and questionnaires

How do I post Group Conscience and GSF minutes to the webpage?

Any member of NA can contribute to the website by registering for an account.

To register for an account, click here. You will need to click on a link that’s emailed to you to confirm your registration (don’t forget to check your junk mail). Once your registration is confirmed you can login and upload minutes in the Meta Menu.

Please keep in mind this website is public facing and that content may be read by anyone and could be seen as a reflection of NA as a whole. We ask that members always be respectful and observe the Steps, Traditions and Concepts when participating.

About the Northern Australia Service Board

About the Group Service Forums (GSF’s)

What is a Local Service Conference?

Local Service Conferences (LSC) are decision-making meetings where NA services are prioritised, strategic plans are developed and budgets approved. LSCs are held four times a year with each meeting taking a different focus.

Meeting 1 – develops a Northern Area Service Plan,

Meeting 2 – consensus planning of the Service Plan including a budget

Meeting 3 – review of Service Plan delivery

Meeting 4 – evaluation of Service Plan

The LSC sets service delivery priorities for the year ahead as put forward by GSRs and/or GSF representatives. Group proposals and recommendations play a primary role in setting the direction of services because they inform the Service Plan.

Service delivery proposals and recommendations can range from activity planning (fund-raising, trivia nights), to convention proposals, as well as fellowship development (H&I, Public Relations, Unity Days).

The Board creates plans and a budget to be presented and approved at the LSC.

 

Can anyone make proposals and recommendations to the LSC?

Yes, individual members, groups and GSFs can put proposals and recommendations to the LSC.

Ideally, GSFs take the lead in putting forward proposals and recommendations based on the services they wish to advance.

Do proposals and recommendations have to be presented in a specific format?

There is a proposal template (in development see Michael B) that can be found on the website here (insert link).

If a proposal has costs attached a budget needs to be submitted to the Board or LSC. The budget template can be found on the website here (insert link).

What activities can the Board approve without having to go the LSC?

All activities included in the Northern Area Service Plan can be approved and funded by the Board.

What is the process for requesting Board approval and funding?

Groups or GSFs can request approval from the Board for Service Plan activities and funding by:

  • Talking with a Board member
  • Sending the Board an email
  • Attending a Board meeting

When are Local Service Conferences held?

Normally, Local Service Conferences (LSC) are held four times a year.

Upcoming LSC dates can be found on the website here (insert link). However, the enforcement of social distancing arrangements could see future LSCs move to an online format.

Can anyone attend a Local Service Conference?

Everyone is welcome to attend a Local Service Conference (LSC).

The LSC brings together Northern Australia NA members, trusted servants, Group Service Representatives, Group Service Forum representatives, Northern Australia Service Board members and Australian Regional Service Committee (ARSC) representatives.

How can Groups Fund Flow (contribute funds to the NANASA)?

NA meetings wishing to make contributions collected from their Seventh Tradition to the Narcotics Anonymous Northern Australia Service Area (NANASA) can transfer funds to the NANASA bank account.

Bank account details are:

Account name: NA Northern Australia Service Area

BSB:                 034 026

Account:          574497

Description:      Meeting reference*

* It is suggested you use your meeting details in the transaction reference – Day, location name.

The following table provides some guidelines

Meeting name Day Location Reference
Rainbow recovery Wednesday New Farm WedNewFarmRainbow
Men’s meeting Thursday NewFarm ThuNewFarmMens
Lunchies – Just for today Lunchies New Farm LunchiesNewFarmJFT
Women’s meeting Saturday NewFarm SatNewFarmWomens
Sunday Paddington Topic Sunday Paddington SunPaddingtonTopic
Steps and Traditions Tuesday Spring Hill TueSpringHillSteps
Just for Todaisy Tuesday Daisy Hill TueDaisyHillJFT
Newstead Waltz Monday Newstead MonNewsteadWaltz

Fund flow contributions support conventions, Local Service Conferences, Unity Days, H&I literature, workshops, outreach support and administration costs. When available funds are also forwarded to the Australian Region Service Committee (ARSC).

Who is on the NANASA board?

There are eight (8) Board members:

Bonnie S (Brisbane),  Jason T (Brisbane), Matthew P (Darwin), Meredith C (Brisbane), Michael B (Brisbane), Sami H (North Queensland), John C (Brisbane), Brad N (Caboolture).

Where does the Board meet?

The NANASA Board meets online on the last Monday of every month from 7.30pm-9.00pm.

Can I attend a Board meeting even though I’m not on the Board?

NA members are welcome to attend Board meetings, just email the Board and request the meeting link.

serviceboard.northernaustralia@na.org.au

How can I become a member of the Board?

NA members can nominate to become a Board member at a Local Service Conference (LSC). Additionally, NA members can be recruited and nominated by the Board.

Board member nominations and certain regional service positions (Regional Committee Member and Alternate Regional Committee Member) are decided and ratified at the LSC.

How can I contact the NANASA Board?

Members of NA can contact the Northern Australia Service Board at any time by emailing: serviceboard.northernaustralia@na.org.au or click here (insert link to Contact the Board page).

How is the Northern Australia Service Board different from the Australian Regional Service Board?

The Narcotics Anonymous Northern Australia Service Area is an area-based service system dealing exclusively with issues and service delivery within the borders of the Northern Australian Service Area.

The Australian Regional Service Committee (ARSC) is still primarily based on a Roberts Rules system similar to the old ASC model, whereas the Northern Australia Service Board functions under the Service System Project guidelines. The ARSC has switched its internal procedures to consensus-based decision making with a couple of variations.

The ARSC deals with all Australian NA Service Areas. The ARSC currently has 16 seated areas, each seated area is represented by a Regional Committee Member (RCM).

The ARSC meets once every four months and the Regional Committee Members are the only voting members of the ARSC on most issues.

Region provides services through subcommittees such as Public Relations, Outreach, IT, Policy, Indigenous, FSO and NA Today. These are all subcommittees operating under the ARSC umbrella. All subcommittee chairs are accountable to the ARSC body as a whole and are allocated a budget to effectively deliver their service.

The ARSC has an Administration Committee. Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Regional Delegate and Alt Delegate. Regional & Alt Delegate carries Australia’s collective Group Conscience to World Services.

ARSC also fund flows to NAWS and to the Asia Pacific Forum (APF). Many of the APF regions/areas are dependent on fund flow from more solvent fellowships.

NA has a global presence and Australia is part of that presence through our local and regional service systems.

The ARSC meets in the third weekend of March, July (virtual) and November. More information on upcoming events can be found on the regional webpage or click here.

How does the Fellowship Services Office (FSO) fit into all of this?

The FSO provides the Australasian Region with official literature for Narcotics Anonymous. This includes, key tags, banners, books, pamphlets and other NA produced items. Anyone can order literature from the FSO.

Your GSF or the Board can help members and groups with their literature orders too. For more information just email: serviceboard.northernaustralia@na.org.au

What is NAWS?

Narcotics Anonymous World Services (NAWS) provides literature, service materials, bulletins and various other tools for NA members, NA groups, and NA service committees as resources in their NA service delivery efforts.

NAWS does not have any centralized control over any NA members, NA groups, or other NA service committees.

Click here for H&I Service Opportunities