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Govt must tackle $16b alcohol toll

Press Releases July 17 2009

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The Rudd Government must adopt the recommendations from the National Preventative Health Taskforce and dehook alcohol from sport once and for all, Family First Leader Senator Steve Fielding, said today.

“This report proves what Family First has been saying all along – that the alcopops tax on its own will do nothing to fix Australia’s binge drinking problem and is a fizzer,” Senator Fielding said.

“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 must have the courage 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.

“The Rudd government must not waste this opportunity to tackle Australia’s binge drinking culture and stop the toll of violence and abuse alcohol is causing on our communities.

“A tax grab will not change our culture of binge drinking. This 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.”