States 'passing buck' on unsafe drinking behaviour
Posted
Updated
Disturbing trends...alcohol admissions are up in NSW hospitals. (Getty Images: Christopher Furlong)
The spirits industry is criticising a push for an alcohol advertising ban as an easy way for state governments to avoid properly addressing anti-social behaviour.
New South Wales health minister John Della Bosca says there are disturbing trends across the country showing a jump in unsafe drinking.
Citing a 60 per cent increase in the number of alcohol-related admissions to the state's emergency departments, particularly among young women, Mr Della Bosca says it is time to consider an advertising ban.
"They have moved very heavily into getting young women to drink large amounts of ready-to-drink products," he said.
He will be taking the proposal to a meeting of health ministers in November, but Steven Riden from the Distilled Spirits Industry Council argues a ban would not address the problem.
"I've got to say it's an alternative to taking more effective action on the ground to policing and liquor licensing," he said.
He says governments should be looking at liquor licensing and policing to address alcohol-related problems.
"State governments are looking at ways to cut back on the anti-social behaviour and the violence around alcohol," he said.
"But I think this is a very desperate stretch to try and say that an advert on TV or your local newspaper is leading to that sort of behaviour. The problems are far more complex than that."
Qld support
The Queensland Premier says she is willing to look at a national crackdown on advertising in the liquor industry.
New South Wales Health Minister John Della Bosca says he will ask a meeting of health ministers in November to consider a ban on alcohol advertising, including sporting venues.
He says there has been a jump in unsafe drinking, particularly among young women.
Anna Bligh says it is also a problem in Queensland.
"Queensland is always ready to listen to good ideas, and I think there is a growing community concern about binge drinking, particularly by young people," she said.
"But Queenslanders actually have higher rates of high-risk drinking than many other states in Australia so if there are good ideas out there - maybe looking at how much advertising of alcohol is occurring - then I think we should have an open mind and I'd certainly be willing to look at it."
'Knee-jerk reaction'
New South Wales' Opposition health spokeswoman Jillian Skinner earlier said the solution rests with another education campaign, and that Mr Della Bosca was just looking for a headline.
"This is a knee-jerk reaction that is really not going to resolve the problem," she said.
"It needs a much more considered response that engages the community, where does big brother stop and when does the individual responsibility take hold?"
