Alcohol Beverages Australia stands by our comments made two weeks ago on the National Alcohol Strategy. We participated in an open and transparent consultation process as part of providing input to the development of public policy led and decided on by Government.
We agree alcohol harm should be addressed within a national, evidence-based strategy. What appears absent from some health policy lobbyist comments is any mention that the Government’s own alcohol statistics have improved by up to 10% in the 10 years since the last National Alcohol Strategy was in place, as outlined in the recently released report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). The majority of people consume responsibly in line with Government guidelines and consumption of alcohol per person is at a 50 year low.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics data has shown a long term decline in harmful alcohol consumption since the 1970s, and other population-wide figures in 18-24 year-olds show drinking has significantly declined.
ABA’s members support targeted education, awareness and prevention measures, as evidenced by individual member programmes, the support of Drinkwise and other targeted government-led programmes.
ENDS
Media enquiries:
Kerri Osborne, Media and Communications Manager
Ph: 0418 513 372 or Kerri@alcoholbeveragesaustralia.org.au