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In 2024, Alcoholics Anonymous received 12,300 incoming telephone calls and connected with over 33,500 people through its web-based chat function, offering support to those that find they have a problem with alcohol.
Further, the number of AA meeting groups in Australia now numbers over 2,000 each week, with many members attending multiple meetings each week.
To celebrate the 80th anniversary of Alcoholics Anonymous founding in Australia in 1945, some 2000 self-declared alcoholics are expected to descend on Sydney Town Hall and the nearby Hilton Hotel this April 18-2.
The 2025 AA National Convention: From Pioneers to 80 Years, also includes both Al-Anon (a fellowship of people who have been affected by another person’s drinking) and Alateen (for young people affected by a parent or relatives drinking), who will each participate among the hundreds of AA speakers set to share their extraordinary stories of recovery.
As well as a public opening and an AA history presentation, the convention features three days of rolling meetings covering specialist topics, workshops, and meetings aimed at the 12 Steps of Recovery.
AA’s structure and purpose, which is generally acknowledged at the start of every meeting, is as described below.
Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of people who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism.
The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for AA membership; we are self- supporting through our own contributions.
AA is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organisation or institution; does not wish to engage in any controversy, neither endorses nor opposes any causes. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.
AA was founded in 1935 in Akron, Ohio, USA by Bill Wilson and Dr Bob Smith, and soon after spread across the United States and Canada with Australia being the first country outside the US to start meetings a decade later.
Australia’s first AA meeting took place in March 1945 on the grounds of Rydalmere Psychiatric Hospital, where psychiatrist Dr Sylvester Minogue served as the medical superintendent. In attendance were Dr Minogue, Catholic Priest Father Thomas Dunlea, and three alcoholics: Rex A, Ben B, and Wally.
From that historic gathering AA has spread and flourished across Australia, continuing to save the lives of countless alcoholics, and as evidenced by the 2,194 AA meetings held every week across our cities, towns, rural and online communities. Meetings are free, and open to anyone who has a desire to stop drinking.
The public relations policy of AA is based on attraction rather than promotion, and at a personal level we ask that the anonymity of individual members is respected. As such, we ask that the media refer to members by their first name only. Some of the non-alcoholic trustees on the AA board will also be at the convention and available to the media for comment.
For more information about the AA80 National Convention visit https://aanatcon2025.com.au/
Media Contact: Neil Schafer, Director
0403 227 667
[email protected]
Cochrane Review
An external and independent evaluation of the effectiveness of AA was released on March 11, 2020 in the form of a Cochrane review, comparing AA with other programs. Its authors included Dr John Kelly, Harvard University Professor of Psychiatry and Dr Keith Humphreys, Stanford University Professor of Psychiatry. According to Professor Humphreys, participants in the AA program were 20 – 60% more likely to stay abstinent than participants in other programs, and they lost fewer days of work.
The review found that the reason why the AA program (including the twelve-step facilitation intervention) outperformed other well-established treatments is because it linked participants to “a free, ubiquitous, long-term recovery, peer support organization.” The Cochrane review included 27 primary studies involving 10,565 participants.
For more information on the Cochrane review of AA, see Cochrane review and a video explaining the review Video.
This material is provided as an external evaluation supporting the efficacy of AA. It is not an endorsement or formal affiliation by AA.
