The Alcohol Policy Coalition welcomes the Government’s response to the preventative health taskforce report in last night’s budget as a first step in the right direction to fix Australia’s $15.3 billion alcohol misuse problem but said it is wanting in critical areas, such as alcohol advertising and taxation reform. 

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Key wins:

• The Government has honoured their commitment to provide an alternative revenue funding scheme for community sports clubs currently reliant on sponsorship from alcohol companies – though more money will be needed.
• $20 million for social marketing campaigns aimed at the costs and consequences of binge drinking.
• $14.4 million to assist community and sporting organisations to confront the culture of binge drinking.
• $19.1 million for early intervention programs to assist young people who are binge drinking.

Key gaps:

• The Government has failed to address the impact of alcohol advertising by continuing to trust the liquor industry to voluntarily protect young Australians from alcohol advertising.
• Alcohol taxation will not be reformed at this stage, despite recommendations from the recent Henry Review that alcoholic drinks should be taxed on the basis of their alcohol content to address the current “incoherent” system for taxing beer, wine and spirits.
• The Government has recognised a need for national alcohol sales data but has said little about how or when that information will be collected. 

The Alcohol Policy Coalition is a collaboration of health agencies – Australian Drug Foundation, Cancer Council Victoria, Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre and VicHealth – with shared concern relating to the misuse of alcohol and its health/social impacts on the community.

Alcohol remains one of the major causes of preventable death and illness in Australia.  As such, the Coalition advocates for evidence based policy to prevent and reduce the harms caused by alcohol to Australians. For more information visit www.alcoholpolicycoalition.org.au