Evaluation of the COMGAS Scheme

This project, led by the Aboriginal Drug and Alcohol Council (SA) evaluated the ‘Comgas Scheme. The Scheme was a petrol sniffing reduction program administered by the Office for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health in the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing. It financially assisted remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to substitute their supplies of unleaded petrol with an aviation fuel, Avgas, which is not attractive to sniffers. Our evaluation found that the Comgas Scheme was a safe, popular and effective strategy to reduce petrol sniffing in Australia and recommended that the Comgas Scheme be continued and promoted and expanded. These recommendations were accepted by the Minister for Health and remained in place for a short period until the introduction of low aromatic ‘Opal’ fuel in Central Australia in 2005.