Amidst growing concerns about alcohol-fuelled harm and the alcohol industry influence on children, the National Alliance for Action on Alcohol (NAAA) has today launched a platform urging Australian governments to implement policy changes to drive action on this pressing community issue.
Speaking before a free online webinar to launch the policy platform, Co-chair of NAAA, Ms Jane Martin, said alcohol-fuelled harm needs to be a public health priority, with an emphasis on protecting children from alcohol advertising.
"The alcohol industry advertises relentlessly through media and in places where children and young people can see it, and this in turn means that young people are more likely to start using alcohol products at a younger age and to drink more if they are already using alcohol," said Ms Martin.
"Thankfully there are steps the Australian Government can take to reduce children's exposure to alcohol advertising and we would this to happen as a public health priority and a commitment to creating future generations of healthy Australians."
Ms Martin said legislated controls on the volume, content and placement of all forms of alcohol advertising across all media and the phase out alcohol sponsorship of sports teams, sporting events and music events were key to safeguarding the nation's youth against alcohol industry tactics.
The NAAA policy platform launched today focuses on six key action points:
Protecting children from alcohol advertising
Supporting pricing policies that reduce alcohol-fuelled harm
Raising awareness of the harms caused by alcohol to inform and influence Australians
Preventing the consumption of alcohol products during pregnancy
Preventing alcohol industry interference in policymaking
Reducing harm from online sales and delivery of alcohol products.
Today's policy platform launch, and free webinar will also focus on reducing harm from online sales and delivery of alcohol products.
"Alcohol companies have seized on the opportunity of people's change in movement in 2020 and have orchestrated a sharp rise in online alcohol sales."
"Unfortunately, this is often at the expense of people most at risk of alcohol harm who may be vulnerable to online and digital marketing efforts to drive demand," said Ms Martin.
