Michael ThornACT Labor and the Canberra Liberals have shown little interest in protecting Canberra’s children and families from alcohol harm, according to an election scorecard on alcohol policy published today.
With both the major parties receiving a failing grade, it was left to The Greens to demonstrate any appetite for key alcohol policies.
Ahead of this weekend’s Australian Capital Territory (ACT) 2016 Legislative Assembly election, the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE) asked candidates to respond to six alcohol policy questions, based on the areas identified for urgent action in our ACT election platform.
With attention often focused on violence around pubs, clubs and bars, alcohol’s impact on children is often overlooked.
That’s why FARE’s platform focused on the need to better protect families, by addressing the environmental factors that are contributing to short and long-term alcohol harm in Canberra’s suburbs.
We called on the parties to commit to addressing the way alcohol is marketed and sold in our community. To empower individuals, hold the industry to account, and give communities a greater voice in liquor licensing decisions.
Specifically, the political parties were questioned about their positions on:
- establishing a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) clinic to make it easier for families to access diagnostic and support services
- expanding the Liquor Advisory Board to include a parent representative
- banning alcohol advertising on ACT Government property such as bus stops
- restricting alcohol products and promotions in supermarkets to areas children can’t access
- increasing the annual liquor licence fees for bottle shops by 25 per cent
- giving police power to conduct controlled purchase operations to target underage drinking.
Disappointingly, we have been met with an extremely muted response.
During this election, both major parties have said they would make health a priority. But beyond the rhetoric it appears they lack commitment, direction, or in some cases both.
ACT Labor committed to increasing licence fees for large bottle shops only, and only up to 20 per cent – a good start, but surely not enough.
The Canberra Liberals were not strongly supportive of any of the measures, and would only consider expanding the Liquor Advisory Board – sympathetic noises don’t equate to action.
The ACT Greens committed $500,000 for a FASD clinic in the nation’s capital from July 2018 and demonstrated some support for the remaining five priority areas – but The Greens need to convert their supportive rhetoric into action.
Sustainable Australia (ACT) provided strong support for four alcohol policy areas, but did not have policies on alcohol advertising and bottle shop licence fees – could play a critical role in the Assembly if they win a seat.
We know that alcohol can adversely affect children from a very young age, and the consequences can be devastating.
Alcohol can affect an unborn child in-utero. It can lead to children being physically abused or neglected, exposed to domestic violence, ending up in the child protection system, teenage injuries or death, and chronic disease.
Every year, more than a million Australian children are affected by the drinking of others. More than 10,000 kids are in the child protection system because of a carers drinking.
Alcohol is responsible for most substance-related deaths and hospitalisations for those aged between 15 and 34. And it contributes to the three leading causes of death among adolescents: unintentional injuries, homicide, and suicide.
ACT politicians would do well to acknowledge the harms to children and act decisively to prevent them.
Regardless of the outcome this weekend, it is clear that we will have our work cut out educating the next intake of members of the Legislative Assembly about the extent of alcohol harm in the ACT and reminding them that prevention is far better than cure.
Canberra’s children at least deserve this.
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