Senator Steve Fielding - Leader of Family First
Our drunk nation
Posted by Senator Steve Fielding on August 27 2009 | 21 Comments
I’m going to do something here that most pollies wouldn’t do and ask for help. Help in trying to address Australia’s $16bn alcohol toll. I want the readers of my blog to leave a comment and share their ideas on how governments can address Australia’s binge drinking culture and the violence which stems from it.
I’m going to do something here that most pollies wouldn’t do and ask for help. Help in trying to address Australia’s $16bn alcohol toll. I want the readers of my blog to leave a comment and share their ideas on how governments can address Australia’s binge drinking culture and the violence which stems from it.
Three years ago I took a 10 point plan to both John Howard and Kevin Rudd. It included advertising restrictions and health warning labels.
But with that plan shot down its now time for fresh ideas as this a real issue which this country as a whole needs to take responsibility for.
As we know only too well, Kevin Rudd’s idea of fixing this nation’s binge drinking culture was to slap a tax on alcopops. Well Kevin, that’s done nothing to prevent the alcohol fuelled violence which has taken hold on our streets. It’s now almost 18 months since the tax was introduced and we’re still reading about alcohol related bashings and glassings in the paper every week.
Now I’m no wowser. I drink and most Australians drink, but something needs to be done to stop the $16bn a year in taxpayers’ money from being wasted on cleaning up after drunks. That’s not to mention the 40 percent of police work which is related to the excessive consumption of alcohol.
One of the most disturbing things that I’ve noticed over the years is how many Australians still believe that in order to have a good time you need to drink. It’s as if it’s just not possible to go out and socialise if there’s no alcohol involved. Recently I was shocked to hear from one of my staff the amount of alcohol they used to consume when they were younger.
I can’t understand how anyone can have 12 jager bombs and a number of other drinks in the space of a few short hours. How this 20 something year old played cricket the following day left me dumbfounded. But this is the reality which we are dealing with today. This is how much our youth are drinking.
It’s this level of alcohol consumption which is leading to a spike in alcohol fuelled violence on our streets.
It’s no wonder people are getting beaten up around nightspots where there is the dangerous cocktail of 12 jager bombs and testosterone mixed together. We could always put more police on the streets but is that really going to address the core problem that we’ve got here?
I voted against the alcopops tax because I believed we needed to do more than just hike up the price of one alcohol product. We needed to also de-hook alcohol advertising from televised sport. By having alcohol ads during sports programming it glamorises and sanitises the consumption of alcohol to our kids.
Picture this: You are alone at home with your young children watching football on television. The doorbell rings. A man stands at the door with his arms laden with alcohol products. He says he is there to sit with your children. He is dressed in sporting gear. He assures you that the children cannot drink the products he has with him but they can look as much as they like. Would you invite him in to sit on your couch next to your children? I don’t think so.
But that is what Kevin Rudd is allowing to happen by allowing alcohol advertising to continue during sports programming.
But that aside what else can we do? Some say 2am lockouts. Others say 2am close. Others say that it’s all too extreme. What’s important is that have a proper debate on the issue and have all Australians involved in trying to resolve Australia’s $16bn alcohol toll and the violence associated with it.
Suggestions to reduce binge drinking:
1) Sack all licensing boards since they are handing out liquer licences like confetti (over 10.000 in Vic.). Pure insanity. Replace these boards with people who are serious about the problem and who have the backbone to introduce the following measures.
2) Heavily restrict alcohol advertising like we do with cigarets advertising.
3) All night clubs and pubs to close at midnight.
4) All restaurants to cease serving alcohol at midnight.
5) Adapt the recommendations of our Canadian friend Jim Cripwell (his September Blog) to bring all alcohol sales under government control and to sell alcohol in those premises during business hours only.
6) Restrict alcohol sales to people over 21 years of age only.
I recognize that none of these measures on their own will fix the problem but a combination of them all (or at least most) should make a considerable difference.
Comment by The flying Dutchman on 12 January 2010 at 06:51:02 PM
Alcohol like many other substances are used to dull the thought processes… People are able to get away from stressors, boredom, self-consciousness, anger, guilt and all other emotions. It makes people feel good for however long it lasts until their mind becomes overactive again and they look for another way out. The only way you can get people out of their own heads is to educate them on the thought processes of the mind so that they can view their own problems scientifically. The only way this can occur is to implement a psychological/personal growth subject into our schooling system. Psychologists are societies recognised experts on the human psyche, I would be shocked to see anything but 100% agreement amongst all psychologists that it would result in massive societal improvement. Can you imagine how well adapted people would be if 1 class a week for the 10-12 years they were in school were didicated to self exploration and understanding??? More valuable then home economics or Russian history…
Comment by rooner on 10 January 2010 at 10:10:34 AM
You are right about it being a problem.
I see it , fundamentally, as a Cultural characteristic.
The existing solutions balance a variety of needs and pressures within the cultural context.
I don’t know what was in your 10-point plan however you do mention a number of point issues. All these have trade-offs, including political. I doubt any of them will have a particular impact on the overall problem although every bit probably helps.
My feeling is that a cultural change is the only way a significant impact can be made on the problem. As you eluded to in your own case, there are many Australian sub-cultures where alcohol is not a problem.
The obvious cultural behavior required is Responsible Drinking. There are experts to advise in how desirable community behaviors can be encouraged. In my view, some short-term, high impact campaigns may be worthwhile to start off; however, I think long term, pervasive, broad and sub-culture focused campaigns are required. Existing Sales Taxes should be more than enough to cover this.
Comment by MT Judd on 25 December 2009 at 10:09:23 PM
i remeber the 70’s and the young guys in our area, there are always a few who take it excess, sadly they continue into decades of the same inane behaviour. I drink rarely, after seeing just how bad I looked after a few one evening it put me off for life.. I cannont give up smokes though:-( and I am Not willing to take dangerous pharma drugs that they push, and all replacement gums etc are also massively inflated prices..if they were serious? they would be subsidised for say 3 to 6 months?
to grog. Ban supermarket sales and sports funding from it. (and all media adverts)some still will use it, but constant media and ads really do promulgate a problem. Vignerons can bitch all they want, vines take valuable food producing land ,poison nearby residents and waste water.Clare valley is a tragedy of rampant abuse, vines planted vertically up a hillside? runoff? you bet.
Comment by amicus curiae on 19 December 2009 at 01:26:44 PM
What do you expect of our children when the law has been excluding fathers from their childrens lives, as we have been doing since 1975.
I am not a christian but we do need to go back, to children who are wanted, not just for the $6,000, but wanted and cared for and by both parents.
I am a “progressive” but we have to go back, we have gone too far.
Comment by Louie on 12 December 2009 at 06:04:53 PM
dfd da
Comment by 51googlepm on 25 November 2009 at 06:34:49 PM
Ugg type of boots can be purchased ugg bots sale by different makers,
Comment by 51googlepm on 25 November 2009 at 06:34:25 PM
Ugg type of boots can be purchased ugg bots sale by different makers,Australian made,by hand,or mass made in China.Uggs is a universal term to describe cushty sheepskin footware without any real shape or design,that may be worn by males and females.While in the ugg classic short boots,the sockless foot is in full contact with the sheepskin lining,
Comment by 51googlepm on 25 November 2009 at 06:33:39 PM
The problem is image. Getting drunk is image building in the eyes of the binge drinker. Prohibition would fester the image of the offender. (Besides, I enjoy a drink).
The age of protest (The Vietnam war era) has given way to the age of dispair. What will follow.
Comment by Jeff Shelley on 22 November 2009 at 03:02:16 PM
If you really want to stop binge drinking you need to change the culture.
Firstly public sale of alcohol at pubs and clubs be stopped. Public drinking only - no food or other entertainment - promotes excessive drinking.
Cancel all the licensed pubs and clubs licenses.
Just like prohibition in america bred mafia and crime.
Licenses also perpetuate the crime culture.
Cut the excessive excise.
Allow alcohol to be sold like any other product.
An open marketplace.
If they do not have a grog license they go out of business.
Cut the tie between entertainment and grog by making the organizers fully personally responsible for the orderly use of entertainment venues and public drinking be
restricted.
Cut the sponsorships of sports clubs by beer barons.
Alcohol is a drug it should handled like a drug.
Vic.
Comment by Owen on 26 October 2009 at 06:42:33 PM
i drove a taxi in brisbane at night in brisbane for 18 years up till recently. and i dont think drinking has increased just the level of hatred for our fellow man.
as usually the only thing you can do is pray that people will wake up and see this is all designed by the NEW WORLD ORDER to manipulate. demoralize. enslave. keep people fighting between themselfs so they can bring in there lucifarian world goverment.
kevin and other world leaders are hoping to sign there countrys sovereirnty away in coppenhaggen.
world goverment coming to a town near you real soon
Comment by lau440 on 21 October 2009 at 10:39:50 PM
OK its late but drop the hours of said licenses and take the days their allowed to open away from them say Monday to Saturday hours being for hotels 11.am to 10.30 pm nightclubs from 7.00pm to 12.30 am cut down the licences for towns and suburbs with less than twelve thousand people in them and do not allow hotels or nightclubs within four kilometers of each other the hotel and nightclubs being on top of each other is ridiculous don’t allow them to open on a public holiday take them all back to the early twenty century good luck on changing any thing to do with liquor limit the amount that is allowed to be taken from the bottle shops as well no more than three cartoons and register every one sold to make Shaw they don’t bottle shop hop their name and passengers as well as registration of vehicles then the police can keep a eye out for registered vehicles
Comment by annoyed step on 15 October 2009 at 03:19:07 PM
I believe that alcohol and also drugs go hand in hand and wonder why we focus on just alchol when drugs and alcohol when mixed provide a even worst effect which eqauls the violence on our streets
10 or even five years ago you would never hear of someone dying out the front of a nightclub unless it was from gangland crimes, but now its everywhere and when you label a drug as “Party Drug” gee doesnt that just sound like fun? And the other thing I find concerning is this people drink take drugs and then drive and then they get to work and put everybodies lives at danger on the road to and from work and then whilst they are at work so instead of just attacking a branch why dont we attack the root cause and get rid of the whole problem. I admit that I have a drink every once and a while, but drinking isnt the issue its glutony and rebeliousness and also selfish acts the problem is role models that over indulge and make it look like a fun activity and I am not just talking about sports players but hey even media identities to your favourite actors and it might even be the people that you work with or maybe even a neighbour its anyone that you look up too basically and why not its all considered a good thing when we all know that its wrong.
I believe the best way to target this would be this: Drug and alchol test people in their work places and also before they can even get benefits off centre-link if your on a centre-link benefit then to get your benefits you need to be in a rehab centre as us the tax payer are already funding these guys habits so why not put the tax payers dollars to a better cause and get them off the habit that has corupted their life. Its usually the unemployed that are the ones dealing as well and how can or why should we be putting these people into work if they are addicted to drugs and alcohol?
To stop drink and drug driving well first give every citizen the chance too get their hands on a really good breatha lizer each car that is sold here in Aus should come with one in the glovbox and the other thing change the law if you drink or take drugs and drive well how about attempted murder or driving on the attempt to commit a felony?if you walk down the street with a loaded rifle what do you get for that? A car is just as dangerous or more dangerous as any gun would be!
Parents need to educate their kids on drugs and alcohol and show the long term affects of what it does to them but the problem is a lot of parents dont care anymore and let their kids do whatever they want its not right but its true.
God needs to be put back into the picture from the home to the school to the church to the community and then into Government. Because we have removed God we have removed Justice peace and prosperity. As a nation we no longer put our Faith in God but into a system that constantly fails.
I was in the army and if you got drunk then you had to make sure you got up the next morning as you chose to drik then you choose to make sure you were at work the next morning it all comes down to the choices that we make and sure if you stuff up there is forgiveness but at the same time you need to be made accountable for the actions that you do as well.
Comment by acbrereton on 13 October 2009 at 08:14:37 AM
Do we currently have warning labels, such as found on cigarettes? Not being a beer drinker I wouldn’t know.
Also, I know you voted against Steve, but increasing alcohol tax is another way. Also ban made mixed drinks. Things like Vodka and Orange and the like.
I know many will disagree with me, but I am also for introducing kids to drinking at a very young age. Education being far better than prevention.
Comment by Stan53 on 30 September 2009 at 01:49:04 PM
In response to …….Comment by CHASE on 02 September 2009 at 10:11:43 PM
Chase firstly thankyou for your post it was open, honest and from the heart. I have not been affected by alcohol as you have been, so I can only imagine what it has been like for you. I do have a question for you though, at what point do you believe that alcoholism (disease) takes hold?
I only ask this as many choose to drink to excess for the purpose of becoming drunk; therefore it has not become a disease. I believe consequences need to be applied, such as fines, court orders and possible jail, particularly when innocent people have been hurt or criminal offences have occurred.
Once recognized, in this case alcoholism, I would hope rehabilitation is available for those that need it. Once a person has a dependence on something and it takes control of one’s life I think it could be called a disease. It would not fully negate a person’s choices though, If you’re sick you go to the doctor right? Every case would have to be judged on it’s own merits and circumstances, I guess.
No doubt teenagers in particular will experiment and if they want something they will generally find a way of obtaining it. Trying to price alcoholism / binge drinking out of existence is not really the answer it may help in the short term but it would have to include all alcohol. Eg beer / spirits
If society / people are really serious about this issue, consumption of alcohol needs to have some parallels to anti-smoking campaigns, in as much as a minimization of advertising particularly in the sporting arena. It needs to be presented that excessive social drinking is just poor form and celebrations can be just as significant without alcohol. Even with an emphasis on moderation within the context of home life, as that is where many social habits are accepted or rejected.
There needs to be a balance of compassion for those that are truly are in the grips of alcoholism with consequences for those that choose to drink to excess and who impose themselves onto others adversely.
In my humble opinion, what needs to change is the culture and the environments that facilitate such anti social and harmful behaviors.
Regards Craig
Comment by CR on 03 September 2009 at 03:04:41 PM
Here in Canada, we dont have a problem with binge drinking, so far as I know. During WWII, liquor was rationed, and only sold in government owned outlets. This still goes on today. The only places you can purchase liquor are in stores owned and operated by our provincial governments. These, of course, are only open during what used to be normal shopping hours. This makes it much more difficult for binge drinkers to obtain liquor to drink. Have you thought of bringing all liquor sales in Australia under government control?
Comment by Jim Cripwell on 03 September 2009 at 02:42:52 AM
As a former DRUNK I can share with you IT IS A DISEASE.
Stress, divorce, bankruptcy, litigation, abuse and injury are just some of the reasons we get drunk.
Whilst some see it as a social problem it is a lot more than just that.
I am 40 years of age and have been exposed to alcohol since I was 4, yes I got drunk at 4 and my parents thought it was funny.
First of all the legal system needs to realise it is not always a choice to get drunk it is the disease that drives you to drink.
The medical profession sees it as a disease yet the legal profession sees it as irresponsible and punishes those who get drunk and commit crimes.
If we can accept we DRUNKS have a problem and educate and rehabilitate we may just be able to make a little difference.
Drinking leads to all sorts of health problems and social issues.
Drinking cost me my best friends my health and my children.
I have since registered with drug and alcohol services and completed detox.
To go through detox and see 19 year old girls and boys doing detox is vey said.
I spent time in a drug and alcohol services hospital and they do a great job but it is limited to funding, they can’t save the world from Alcohol and drugs but with more funding they would make a bigger difference.
I was charged with drink driving 3 times and was never once told I could get help from Drug and Alcohol services why? I did not know I was a drunk no one told me until June this year.
Once we see it is a disease and look to the medical world for help we will be able to reduce violence crime and death.
The legal system needs to acknowledge these people have a problem recognise it as a disease and help these people not condemn them as it does every day.
Alcohol causes brain damage and is responsible for 70% of crime, can you imagine what it has done to a person such as myself who has been fed alcohol since I was 4.
Jail is a last resort yet we send repeat offenders to jail who commit crimes whilst DRUNK yet if I suffered from POST TRAUMA STRESS DISORDER (AND I HAVE) I would be sent to get medical help.
We need to be compassionate and realise we need to treat the disease to see some results.
Rehabilitation is low in success but given more research it could increase long term rehabilitation.
Publicans and the like need to have penalties enforced, when was the last time you saw a publican charged with serving alcohol to a drunk or minor? I see minors buy over the counter all the time.
Drugs: A person who grows drugs in commercial quantities gets better treatment than a bankrupt does.
For example I am aware of charges and a conviction in the courts for manufacturing commercial quantities of drugs for sale and the penalty was a $2,000.00 fine.
To take them off the street penalties need to be 20 times that plus hard labour.
Drug dealers sell drugs that kill our children and yet the fine is $2,000.00 this sends the wrong message.
Back to Alcohol, we send the wrong message to alcoholics convicted of crimes whilst under the influence, we jail them, we need to rehabilitate them not punish them for contracting a disease.
For those of you who are not DRUNKS such as I you will find what I say difficult perhaps to swallow, so next time you visit a GP ask them.
Visit a drug and Alcohol services hospital and see it firsthand you like me will not believe your eyes.
So unless we recognise the disease (and treat it as such) and we look to increase penalties for those who turn a blind eye we will get no results and be a nation of talk.
I am passionate about helping these people reducing the abuse and saving a nation.
Publicans should be banned from serving a client more than 3 drinks in one day.
My local was happy to see me drink 3 bottles of red wine and watch me get in my car and drive away.
Comment by CHASE on 02 September 2009 at 10:11:43 PM
It’s a cultural problem, so that’s how in needs to be addressed. Exposing naming and shaming is the best way. Run a “funniest drunk video show” use the internet. Taxation will just penalize responsible drinkers and our world class brewing and wine making industries. Make the user pay, the education system is failing to get the health consequences out there on more issues than alcohol, obesity is probably a bigger problem. High taxation, fines, jail etc are all bad ways to go, just encouraging boot legging and criminals.
Teaching young people how to relate, communicate and deal with their emotions would help also, so they don’t feel they need a drink to relate.
Comment by Colin Dixon on 30 August 2009 at 07:29:31 AM
This is a really complex question. The history of prohibition is not encouraging - driving the problem underground does not work. I think the approach to all drugs has to be one of non-prohibition. Informed adults know the consequences of any drug. That said, very few in society approve of minors using drugs.
So for all drugs I would legalise use by adults, with the caveat that being under the influence of a drug DOES NOT constitute a legal defence, or a mitigation. In other words adults are responsible at all times for the consequences of their own decisions.
For minors the situation is entirely different. I would be extremely harsh, with mandatory gaol sentences for supply of ANY drug to a minor. If a minor is apprehended under the influence, and the supplier cannot be identified then my (very draconian) laws would assume that both the parents supplied the little toad, and they would stand trial. Multiple offences would carry multiple gaol terms. Sorry parents, but YOU are responsible for your children’s behaviour until they are 18. As those responsible, you bear the penalties.
Comment by Colin Davidson on 28 August 2009 at 04:13:37 PM
Kaiminink has mentioned several things - I support all of them. Cultural beliefs have to change, advertising has to be removed or severely curtailed/restricted, severe penalties for alcohol-related binges and alcohol/drug-related behaviour/violence from sporting personalities and public idols need to be enforced and so on.
In fact - alcohol needs to be shown for what it is - a mind-altering drug - toxic in increased quantity, and involved in high degrees of violence, and associated with death in many cases - driving accidents, murder, assault, misadventure, suicide and so on.
Not too pretty then, is it?
When a substance causes as much heartache as this one does, it is time to enforce the laws rigidly. When the law says theyr will be a fine for supplying alcohol to minors, then that fine needs to be applied.
It is easy for minors to obtain alcohol - my year 11 son tells me that all they have to do is “chuck in $20 each” and one of the mates’ older brothers will buy a ute-full of the stuff for them.
Clearly the penalty is NO deterrent.
What sort of penalty WOULD be a deterrent? That is the hard approach.
But there is a better approach - pre-emption.
What sort of parents do children deserve, though, in order for them to feel loved and secure, and not prone to the early peer-pressure drinking that is so often a part of life for many teens?
Comment by Ivan on 28 August 2009 at 10:43:22 AM
I don’t have any “silver bullet” fixes for the problem, but, I would like to point out that the problem of abuse of alcohol has developed to the point where it is now a cultural problem.
Raising the cost of alcoholic drinks by increasing taxation may make it less available to the poorer sections of the community but it will not have any real effect on the over-all problem. Raising the tax on alcohol will be seen as a money grab unless that increased revenue is used to offset the extra costs the abuse of alcohol places on our society (e.g. health and law enforcement) and is not put into general revenue. It would probably be more effective to drastically increase the fines for being drunk and disorderly, and maybe intruduce a breath test similar to the one for drivers.
Politicians will have to stand up to the alcohol industry and restore some sanity to the times during which alcohol may be sold. (Do you really need a drink at 2 a.m.?) Even a casual study of the news over the last 2 or 3 decades will show that the number of alcohol fuelled violent incidents has increased in proportion to the increased availability of alcohol. The vast majority of violent incidents on our streets, at sporting events and other public events are fuelled by alcohol.
Somehow we have to remove the glorification of over consumption of alcohol from our society.
Every time there is a celebration such as a grand final win, Logies presentation or major presentation we have TV and radio personalities joking on their programs about having a “heavy night”, “sore head”, etc. and numerous jokes about over indulgence. Is it any wonder that our young people get the impression that if you can remember what you did you didn’t really have a good time.
We also have to remove the perception that opposition to alcohol abuse is religion based. This has nothing to do with religion! I am a practising Christian, an elder in my church, and I have a drink, as do many other Christians. I just don’t over indulge.
The problem is a societal problem and the solution is not going to be found in one or two control measures nor, I suspect, is it going to be easy.
There needs to be a ‘think tank’ of people from all walks of life and areas of expertise to formulate a long term policy.
Comment by kaiminink on 28 August 2009 at 06:37:29 AM