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GOVERNMENT AND COALITION DO NOTHING TO ADDRESS $16bn ALCOHOL TOLL

Press Releases August 13 2009

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Australia’s $16bn alcohol toll will continue to grow after the Senate passed the alcopops tax today, Family First Leader Senator Steve Fielding said.

“The Rudd Government and the Coalition have ignored the recommendations from the National Preventative Health Taskforce in dehooking alcohol from sport,” Senator Fielding said.

“The alcopops tax is a blatant tax grab designed to line the pockets of the Rudd government, and is not a measure to address Australia’s binge drinking culture.

“The Rudd government isn’t the only guilty party in this disgraceful tax. The coalition have simply folded and given into the government because they don’t want to head to an early double dissolution election.

“For two years Family First has been calling on the Federal government to get serious about tackling Australia’s binge drinking culture by breaking the link between alcohol and sport.

“Australia has a huge binge drinking problem costing $16 billion per year which can only be fixed by creating a culture of responsible drinking.

“More than 40 percent of police work is alcohol related.

“The Rudd government and the coalition have missed the perfect opportunity to stand up to the alcohol giants and shut down alcohol ads during live sporting events during family viewing times.

“This can be phased in over a number of years but it must be done. Tackling the culture of binge drinking must be the government’s priority, not filling its coffers with taxpayers’ dollars.

“This tax grab will not change our culture of binge drinking. The government must do more by refusing to allow alcohol to get its hooks into vulnerable young people.

“It must break the link between alcohol and sport by cutting booze ads during sports events on television.”