Our drunk nation

lobi says:

03:35pm | 27/08/09

Every journey begins by taking the first step, the Alcopops tax was that first step and you sir have delayed the journey.

lobi says:

03:44pm | 27/08/09

What you should have done is got onboard and push the agenda further using a support of the alcopops tax as a foot in the door.

BMJ says:

04:04pm | 27/08/09

How about Pollies stop trying to shape some kind of idealic Utopian soceity! Why can’t we just live with the fact that some people will drink too much? Why is it so hard to take? Why must we hyper-analyse every single every little flaw in our society? People get drunk. Get over it. Some behave badly, but most have a binge drinking phase when they can legally drink but it does fade. Those who decide to continue make a choice. But it’s their choice to take. If you misbehave you go to gaol. Simple.

Jack says:

04:06pm | 27/08/09

Your problem here, Steve, is that you think people are drinking alcohol because they saw some footballer with a beer in his hand, or a Carlton ad on tv.

You also act like this is some crazy new phenomenon. Those crazy kids and their facebooks and ipods and alcoholic beverages! Alcohol has been consumed since the first apple fell into a puddle of water and a dinosaur took a sip - assuming, and this could be a stretch in this case,  you accept the whole evolution thing.

There isnt a torrent of alcohol fueled violence cascading our streets. There isnt a massive glassing epidemic. Crime isnt skyrocketing. You are just reading too much of The Daily Telegraph.

The alcopops tax was laughable. But at least it was targeted. A ban on advertising to ‘protect the children’ is ridiculous.

Toddzilla says:

04:09pm | 27/08/09

The answer is simple. Just enforce harsher penalties for assault. If people are looking at 5 years in jail, they might think twice about wailing on someone. Increasing taxes won’t help one iota as the yearly rise in grog prices proves.

Jack from Perth says:

04:13pm | 27/08/09

Alcohol does not cause violence. It’s the soft sentencing and weak cops that cause the violence. In Perth, on Murry Street, a police officer will gladly give you a $150 fine for having an open bottle of wine on the street but once a fight breaks out he is nowhere to be seen.
Now look at Bangala Soi in Patong, Thailand. Here people are everywhere, drinking on the street, walking bar to bar and there is no violence. And why? Have you seen the Thai justice system in action. Much scarier than a $150 fine for “street drinking”.

Berk says:

04:13pm | 27/08/09

It’s about time someone stood up and took action on this issue. The alcopops tax was just a way for Rudd to get more money to spend on his own projects. The Government needs to listen to Fielding more because he actually knows what he’s talking about.
Congratulations Senator Fielding for having the guts to stand up for what you believe in!

wolf says:

04:22pm | 27/08/09

“I can’t understand how anyone can have 12 jager bombs and a number of other drinks in the space of a few short hours. How this 20 something year old played cricket the following day left me dumbfounded. But this is the reality which we are dealing with today. This is how much our youth are drinking. “

Let you in on a secret Steve - this is nothing new.  I have seen plenty of people that can and do consume that level of alcohol without resorting to violence, therefore they are only hurting themselves.  See Penbo’s article above for a reasoned ‘dont blame the drink blame the person’ argument.

Poor crowd control and a general lack of accountability from licenced venues would play a part in the violence.  If someone is causing trouble perhaps turfing them out on the street with other people who are thrown out for causing trouble may be worth a rethink too?

What is really concerning to me is the leniancy shown to the thugs that perform gang bashings, especially in your home state.

Greg says:

04:32pm | 27/08/09

Sorry Steve,
I have worked in the industry for 20 years and it’s not the alcohol thats the problem its the DRUGS.
More Drugs now than ever before and the more you push up alcohol prices the more you play into the hands of the Dealers.
The only thing that really needs to go in the alcohol industry is the illeagal drugs ,and the alcoholic enery drinks.
Remember alcohol is a depressent , caffine is a upper and so are most drugs.
People fall asleep if they only drink to much.

Al says:

04:32pm | 27/08/09

It’s the way people are brought up to drink alcohol in Australia that is the problem not the advertising. You are incorrectly linking criminal activity performed by someone under the influence of alcohol and alcohol advertising. One does not affect the other.

From a young age Australian youths are left to their own devices to learn the effects of alcohol and what safe consumption really is. This information needs to be learned in a familiar environment (e.g. a family setting) rather than in a park or at an underage party.

Lord Grognard says:

04:35pm | 27/08/09

You’re always free to move to Iran Steve. 

Over there they have morals police, prohibitions on anything and everything, draconian sentencing of the most innocuous of sins plus a whole branch of government that maintains thier internet filter and tracks down anyone who dare dissent on the web. 

What’s more, the government has its own cadre of concerned citizens known as the Basj who gently remind their neighbours of their national and moral duties.

You see Steve most people would rather face beating from drunken idiots then from state sponsored paramilitaries and extra-judicial theocratic thugs.

Our ancestors both killed and died to preserve our freedoms.  Don’t make the mistake of thinking the people of Australia won’t do so again.

Zeta says:

04:36pm | 27/08/09

This inane paternalism has to stop for starters. Let me just dig out my copy of the Australian Constitution that I keep nestled away in my top pocket next to a signed photo of Menzies and a lithograph of Her Majesty the Queen: ah, here we go. According to this rarely seen document, you sir, and your Parliament, have no powers whatsoever to influence the drinking or smoking habits of the people who elected you (or in your case Steve, the preferences that elected you). In fact, your powers are set out in a very straight forward manner, and they include: engaging in foreign affairs and diplomacy, the enforcement of the immigration acts, the facilitation of trade domestic and international, and the maintenence of a defence force and the security of our nation as a whole. In fact, I don’t see anywhere any reference to health care, education, or any of the other myriad pork barrells this and every other Government seem to wrap themselves around.

Your job, is protecting the people of Australia. But you can’t protect people from themselves. The only time binge drinking ever posed a threat to the national security of Australia was when Malcolm Fraser lost his trousers in a Memphis hotel. A Government that engages in the kind of rampant social engineering; the would see items taxed dependent on some academics view that they might pose a health risk is bordering on tyranny.

As for the banning of advertisements, that creates grave concerns for the types of free speech we allow in this country, and the spectre of diminished personal responsibility. What next? Car manufacturers prevented from showing images of their vehicles in motion for fear it might encourage dangerous driving? Hang on, that already exists. What about food manufacturers prevented from showing advertisments for food that might make you fat? Already on the cards too, now I think about it…

Yet the Government, both Federal and State, have free reign on our airwaves to advertise their own agenda.

If we’re going to ban alcohol advertisments, maybe the Government should not be allowed to use advertisments for recruitment to the armed forces. Afterall, joining the Army can get you killed under much more unpleasant circumstances than drinking.

You cannot stop people from harming themselves, and it’s pointless to try. All you do is erode the freedoms our nation was built on in the process, and for what? So the precious children of tomorrow delay their sip of beer by a year? Is that the metric against which the success of this insanity will be judged? Reduced rates of liver illness? And what if such things are acheived? What then? What will be the next health scare that will see money and time and political capital wasted? At least when the United States Government wants to scaremonger, they find something scary. Like Islamic fundamentalists, or South American drug lords. The limp wristed nannies of our Federal Government turn to alcohol, cigarettes and internet pornography. It shows a distinct lack of character in our legislators. Why not take up Xenophon’s cause as well and target gambling? You make me physically sick with your moral posturing. 

Leave the preaching to the preachers, and keep it behind the closed doors of the Church Steve, let the rest of us make our own decisions: like what to drink, wether or not to smoke, how much TV to watch, what to eat, and what to do.

Now excuse me, just thinking about Nicola Roxon telling me what to do has made me want to down an entire bottle of Pernod without taking a breath. I might enjoy a cigarette with it as well.

Dave says:

04:40pm | 27/08/09

The problem is NOT alcohol.  The problem is that there is a generation who belive they can do whatever they want and don’t need to respect anyone else.  The fact is that the yobs who attack people when they are pissed don’t show anyone any sort of respect when they are sober.  IMO we should seriously consider reintroducing corporal punishment for assault cases.  Barbaric!  Well yes smashing a glass in someone’s face certainly is, as is teaming up with 10 of your mates to kick the crap out of someone.  The weakness of our society is that in many ways it is too permissive, especially of random violence.

Jack says:

04:43pm | 27/08/09

Todd/Jack - yeah, a drunk footyhead is thinking clearly and rationally considering the consequences of his action when he punches some guy in a nightclub.

Are you serious? The whole ‘weak justice system’ argument is ridiculous. But dont let that stop you cherry picking one or two cases out of the thousands passing through the courts each month, not reading the judgement or caring about the facts and then going on a rant about leftie magistrates letting people off for bad childhoods.

R.E.L. says:

04:43pm | 27/08/09

Here are some realistic options (meaning tough to swallow for the public and business):

a) Not necessarily closing or locking out at 2am, but just closing the bar at 1am.
That way patrons can sober up inside and not cause a raucus outside

b) Give police the power to arrest/fine underage drinkers whom they catch in parks, beaches, etc. and calling the parents.

c) Compulsory breath testing upon leaving an alcohol-licenced venue. Those over the limit would have to sit down in the “time out” section until they sober up.

which leads me to d)
more enforcement of the “you’ve had enough” law. we see the signs in the pubs, but rarely implemented by staff (who probably want more revenue and tips)

Martin Doyle says:

04:47pm | 27/08/09

You voted against the alcopop tax increase because you wanted stop TV commercials too. Well, frankly I think you adopted the wrong tactic, it would of been better to pocket any move forward on the discouragement of binge drinking than to have no progress at all.

R.E.L. says:

04:48pm | 27/08/09

wolf is right: “I can’t understand how anyone can have 12 jager bombs and a number of other drinks in the space of a few short hours. How this 20 something year old played cricket the following day left me dumbfounded.”
is nothing new.

After an assumed night out on the piss David Boon vomited on the Adelaide Oval grass in a WSC game in 1988 and miraculously went on to make a 122 runs and win Man Of The Match!

jim says:

04:49pm | 27/08/09

I’m with BMG and sick of wowsers. I drank a lot when I was younger. I hated my later years of high school and was very stressed. Alcohol was an effective relief valve for me. I don’t drink much at all now. It doesn’t need to be encouraged either, but just stop trying to control every aspect of the lives of the young. Steve, I have a hunch that there’s a forum of renegade scientists somewhere - maybe in the USA - who reckon that alcohol, contrary to overwhelming evidence, turns out to be good for your liver. Why don’t you seek them out and get an alternative view? (just so you have ALL the facts)

Nuggs says:

04:52pm | 27/08/09

The problem with the Alchopop Tax is that it is aimed at one type of drink, the premixes. This means that the bottles are becoming a cheaper alternative. Thus the ability to attempt to maintain a count on the amount of drinks becomes quite hard. Now as a 23 year old bloke, i know lots of people who do consistently get very, very drunk, and not to many of them, if any at all get violent with the alcohol. By far, the most common reaction is a tendancy to pass out on the lawn.
So, the real problem may be that the tendancy to link alcohol with violence is a political beat up. I don’t know any figures on it so i won’t speculate. However, a lacking of education on the eventual fallout from the intake of alcohol, and the differences body build makes in being able to hold a certain level of alcohol, is most definately needed.
There is nothing worse, than having to nurse maid a mate home from to much alcohol. It just doesn’t look good. And some of the kids need to be told that.

anna says:

04:55pm | 27/08/09

I am 22, and I go out to the clubs a lot. From watching my friends, and my own actions, the solution is to stop serving us alcohol. If we stopped being served at 1 (even keep the clubs open so we can keep socialising)  people wouldnt be able to get so smashed and cause problems.

Its also a cultural thing, after sharing this article with a friend, he said to me, ‘wow 12 jagers, that beats my record’ and was impressed, not horrified at the level of alcohol being consumed. how does that change? I don’t have the answer for that unfortunately.

Gregory Hatten says:

04:59pm | 27/08/09

i think what we really should do about this is stop preferencial voting so that people who represent hard right parties with less than 2% of the vote don’t gain a major control over the senate

R says:

05:00pm | 27/08/09

It’s simple. Legalize Marijuana. You would see a flat drop in drinking and drinking related deaths/crimes/violence. DO NOT LISTEN to any white coat Charlie that tells you it causes cancer or makes you crazy - or most of all is a “Gateway drug” its all rubbish.
Alcohol is toxic and causes more problems in society then anything else i’ve come accross.  Not a troll or flaming. And the tax that the Gov would make off it being legalised would be huge.

Do the right thing. Up with dope!

Karan Seth says:

05:04pm | 27/08/09

Come up with a prepaid alcohol card that the users can purchase from a newsagent. The bars should cater only to those people who have enough credit in the card. The cards can hold a maximum value of 100$ and each card is registered against a central database (like tatts lotto) which means that each person can buy only a maximum of 1 card a day. Since the newsagents are not open late at night, the people who exhaust their card sooner, wont be able to buy more drinks cuz the bars accept only these cards (no money involved at the bars) and no new cards can be bought late at night.

Patrick Bateman says:

05:06pm | 27/08/09

Heaven forbid that it might occur to you that binge drinking and violence are symptoms, not causes, of problems.

I am frankly amazed that a man who is in the federal senate can be surprised that someone can drink 12 shots of booze.  Both at uni and in my professional life I am surrounded by people who would consider that a moderate night.  I include myself in this.  I have been around plenty of people who can routinely put away more than that in a sitting.  Yet amazingly I have never - not once, in over a decade of alcohol-related socialising - have I or anyone in my circle of acquaintances been in a physical fight.

So at the very least this shows that drinking heavily does not equal violence.

Maybe a more productive approach would be to consider why a bunch of 20-something year old guys from the outer suburbs feel the need to get loaded on booze, cruise into the CBD and start trouble.  Maybe if they had functioning communities, strong family structures, jobs, things to look forward to and work towards, and so on they might not feel bored, marginalised, nihilistic and ultimately aggressive.

Oh, and show me these people who believe you need alcohol to have a good time?  I think you’ll find that many people believe that alcohol can help you have a good time - quite a different proposition.

Luke says:

05:06pm | 27/08/09

R.E.L

when would you baby boomers get a frinking grip? and realize that social engineering is not going to solve the problem?  High taxes are not going to solve the problem? There is no respect for the law these days, good behavior bonds and community service don’t send enough of a signal . You need to arrest people throw them in jail, have a 24 hour judge and convict them of public nuisance,drunkenness and anti social behavior. and fine them heavily, then employ a 3 strike rule, and on the 3rd strike, 5 years min jail time no paroll

Ryan says:

05:08pm | 27/08/09

Fake Fielding makes more sense than the real one.

Steven says:

05:12pm | 27/08/09

Here’s an idea for you Steven, go back to Church and pray for us. That outta work.

Leave us alone do do as we wish with our lives. The MAJORITY of people can handle themselves even after downing 12 shots. The MINORITY of idiots are the problem. Alcohol doesn’t cause the violence, you have to be pre-disposed to it in the first place. Most of us still know right from wrong regardless of how p’ssed we are.

Stop making laws that infringe on the MAJORITY of people’s rights based on a MINORITY of people’s actions.

Darren says:

05:13pm | 27/08/09

looking ofr an issue to assist your reelection Senator?

john says:

05:14pm | 27/08/09

The problem here is that people don’t cope with prohibition (to minors in our case) or bullying.  I’m afraid that the harder you push, the harder society will push back.  Really, I can’t see how alcohol is a problem here.  The people who do stupid things while drunk were always going to do stupid things- they are looking for an excuse.
I do agree that alcohol causes aggression - maybe consider legalising other substances that do not- encourage aggressive drunks to change their drug of preference.
If someone does something illegal while under the influence (like a car accident where they hurt another), they can currently be charged for that- no problems.
Remember that we all make choices- and if we want to all be drunks or drug addicts, then maybe it is the job of the government to find a safe way to do it.

Jack says:

05:14pm | 27/08/09

Karan, I like to drink single malt scotch. Generally around $20-30 a glass. Im a 240lb guy. You saying I should only be allowed 3-5 drinks?

What about my girlfriend and all her friends, they like cocktails. Again, you are looking at $15-25 a drink. Should they be cut off at 4?

What about your average 19yo bogan at $2 drinks night? They can afford 50 drinks. Should the 120lb girl be able to drink 25 drinks while I, at twice her size, can have… 3?

Gee, maybe you should just stop inventing stupid nanny state policies.

Kevin says:

05:15pm | 27/08/09

“It’s no wonder people are getting beaten up around nightspots where there is the dangerous cocktail of 12 jager bombs and testosterone mixed together”

Then ban testosterone.

Seth says:

05:15pm | 27/08/09

Legalise other drugs.

If you are serious about this Senator, you will look into legalising other drugs. There is a club i frequent, and in 3 years i have seen one fight. That is because the majority of people there take ‘ecstacy’. MDMA was first sythesised in the early 1900’s. It targets the brains seratonin and elevates peoples mood. to date, there have been NO RECORDED DEATHS, from pure MDMA, most ecstacy related deaths (which are miniscule compared to alcohol) are from bad ‘cuts’. If it were legalised the government would have another income stream, the drugs would be pure, meaning no deaths and the police would be able to crack down on drunks who fight, as opposed to wasting their time busting people for carrying a few e’s.

I realise that this is never going to happen though as Western governments are too concerned with looking after ‘the boys’ and have no long term plan for our country. All they care about is their pension, hence nothing will change unfortunately, because even if one politician was brave enough to take a stance ‘the boys’ would ensure that politician no longer had a future.

The Captain says:

05:16pm | 27/08/09

Did the staffer who drank the 12 Jager bombs then go on to commit a violent act? Why do we blame alcohol all the time, I drink a bit and have never gone on a drunken violent rampage. Let’s look at the reasons why these people are predisposed to violence instead of restricting the rights of the rest of us well behaved happy drunks.

Mick says:

05:17pm | 27/08/09

I find it funny how everyone is complaining against alcohol taxes, when Steve is on your side about that.

Steve, the problem is that when these pissed bashers are hauled in front of court, they plea that it’s “not their fault” or something, the drug/alcohol made them do it and they get a softer sentence.

Maybe if assaults under the influence attracted a nominally *harsher* sentence than when sober, people will think twice.

I’m sick of the idiots complaining that you shouldn’t be in the senate, I think you’re doing a great job.

Pat says:

05:17pm | 27/08/09

Let me just state, I LOVE A GOOD DRINK. I’m a Uni student, so goon preferably.

But some of the arguments for why we are constitutionally entitled to the ‘right to bear drinks’ sounds awfully reminiscent of American pro-gun activists.
Sure, its not the gun/drink it’s the person.
Obviously when such a social law becomes inoperable, our government acts to curb the issue, as what happpend after Port Arthur here in Australia.
So if banning advertising is not denying you your freedom but may help reform attitudes to drinking, whats the issue?

To people like @Jack, why is a ban on advertising to children ridiculous?
What good are the ads doing for you?

And to those who think there isn’t an issue that needs addressing haven’t had a run-in with one of these disrespectful pissed yobbos that we all seem to know so well.
When you’re the one being beaten up for no logical reason you want something done.

Steve says:

05:18pm | 27/08/09

Profits from alcohol will always trump the side effects of that drug.

Armid says:

05:18pm | 27/08/09

If you want alcohol problems to go away you must first remove alcohol as an excuse. How many times have we heard “it’s not my fault I was drunk”, people must stand up and face their own actions it was their choice to get drunk now they must face the consequences. Thus, the law should also follow this and stop letting people off because they “CHOSE” to get drunk. Once a few people get hit with being responsible for their own actions the rest of this country will learn from their mistakes.

Ginger Mick says:

05:18pm | 27/08/09

The best thing you can do for your country, Senator, is to resign.

Mel says:

05:18pm | 27/08/09

How about increasing the age limit for alcohol consumption and entry into night spots from 18 to 21? it may not solve the problem, but any small step in preventing young teenagers from a night fueled with alcohol that could lead to violence is better than nothing.

As for the older drinkers, a stricter justice system for inapproriate behavior while under the influence .

I have a friend who binge drinks every weekend. He has gotten in more than a few fights and misbehaved in many ways. He is out there every weekend. I fear that one day, its not going to end very well. its just a matter of time. I sincerly wished that the cops would arrest him and sent him to jail. i further wish that he will be made to go for alcohol counseling. He needs the help just like many other australians. However, the times he had a brush with the cops, nothing has happened. He has only been given warnings, and i find that seriously wrong.

Arrest, alcohol counseling, fines and a criminal sheet that sticks with you for a minumum of one year. Hopefully, this would stop binge drinkers.

S says:

05:20pm | 27/08/09

I recently returned to my home land South Africa and realised that if you did not get to the bottle shop before 5pm Monday to Saturday (most closed on Sundays) you were unable to buy alcohol.

Also, bottle shops were the only place to purchase product. So i think if pubs and bottle shops had limited trading hours then the binge drinking issue would be reduced as it still crazy that i can buy alcohol from many locations Monday to Sunday from early am until late at night.

David says:

05:22pm | 27/08/09

Steve,

The law is too soft on this sort of behaviour. If you drink and drive you get a fine and ride your bike to work for a few months. That’s pathethic. How about crush the car, take away their license for 10 years and a nice 2 year holiday in the slammer? Family to support? Bills to pay? You should have thought about that before you put everyone elses life at risk.

If you bruise someone due to alcohol fuelled violence you currently get a slap on the wrist from the courts and a pat on the back from your mates. How about 3 years in jail and a $100,000 fine as a start? You make someone bleed - 5 years and $300,000, if you injure someone enough to go to hospital - 10 years and $500,00. No good behaviour and you don’t get out until you pay the fine. People will think before throwing punches, if they don’t then they pay dearly.

People should be allowed to obliterate themselves without harming others if they so desire but if they inflict injury on another while in that state then they should be punished. “I was drunk” isn’t an excuse so make them pay by taking away their financial resources and their freedom.

Banning alcohol advertising won’t stop anti-social behaviour just as banning cigarette advertising hasn’t stopped people smoking. Enforced punishment will stop the violence as they’ll all end up in the clink. People need to take responsibility for their actions, currently the law lets them off and no-one has a perfect upbringing so everyone should just get over it and act responsibly.

Karan Seth says:

05:21pm | 27/08/09

@ Jack
Mate I understand your concern but i never said that this is the way… it certainly paves the way to better and responsible drinking. Like a driving license, if you have a good history of drinking, you are allowed to have more credit in your card. If everything went your way, then good drivers should get more than 12 points in their drivers license but that’s not the case.

charlie says:

05:22pm | 27/08/09

The sooner there is a double dissolution and Fielding is consigned to the scrapheap of history the better for governance in this nation.

slothster says:

05:21pm | 27/08/09

R, I think you are lost in the delusional world of pot smokers. Time for you to take you head out of the bong.

Les says:

05:23pm | 27/08/09

Limit the size of licenced venues.

Some venues are too big, and this makes it easy for people to drink in excess, without being noticed.

YD says:

05:25pm | 27/08/09

My Mum always said, never trust a man who doesn’t drink, the personality you hide when you’re sober, comes out when you drink…

In saying that, drinking is yet another thing that should be done in moderation, or even if its not in moderation, it should be done in a fun way that doesn’t end up with someone in hospital or with a black eye.

I really don’t think that its completely the alcohol companies that are responsible for the excessive amount of money that Australia spends on cleaning up after drunken idiots. If you stop them drinking, they’ll just move onto other things (which half of them already have which is what leads to half the violence). 

How about more security at bars so that when a barmaid turns someone down as they’re clearly too drunk she doesn’t have to worry about the person getting violent.

In all honesty, the only real way to solve this problem, is for natural sellection to do its part and for the idiots to get rid of themselves. In saying that, there are always innocent people hurt first…

Adam Mullett says:

05:26pm | 27/08/09

Having 12 jaegerbombs is the same as drinking a bottle and a half of 12% alcohol wine - no one would bat an eyelid about that. Its not the alcohol that counts, its what the person does - I mean think about it - if you are drinking 12 portions of red bull, you are headed for the same fate as Michael Jackson.

The thing is that it doesn’t matter if people get drunk - it matters that they are morons to begin with. Though I grew up in Perth, I’ve been living in Eastern Europe for two years now - these people can drink with the best of them. A couple of bottles of vodka, some brandy, maybe a glass of beer to wash it down, but I have never seen a drunk fight here - people just aren’t that stupid.

Lockouts, curfews, taxes blah blah blah - these just make the problem worse. There is a taboo around alcohol in Australia - that makes the less educated among us (I’m sad to say its a large portion of people) think its a good idea to go get blind drunk - thats when their real personalities come out.

I used to be somewhat of a drinker in Perth - lets face it - there is nothing else to do because the government doesn’t sponsor any culture projects that would interest youth under 30. Now when I live in Lithuania, I barely drink - there is enough to do without it.

Also, there are no restrictions - beer is the usually the cheapest drink on the menu - beer is had with every meal except breakfast (well, sometimes). The point is that beer and vodka etc is not held in holy regard like at home - this is purely because there is no taboo around it - and therefore people don’t flock to the alcohol section of the supermarket to gorge themselves and end up in the gutter or the paddy wagon.

Take away the restrictions, take away the aggressive doormen, take away the taboo and problem solved.

Another solution is to lure all the aggressive people to one event under the guise of free alcohol and just lock them in and let them kill each other - then we would have less idiots on our streets.

B says:

05:26pm | 27/08/09

This is more a product of everyone listening to the wowsers and do gooders. Standands of acceptable behaviour have dropped due to generations growing up with no sense of discipline. Teachers have no authority any more and therefore no respect. Parents are crucified for disciplining their children (not abuse, discipline). As one of the other comments stated, these people have anti social behaviour without drinking. Drinking just gives them license.

Stop telling people that no matter what they do it’s someone else’s fault and start making them suffer the consequences of their actions. If you need advice on consequenses ask Shapelle Corby, while her sentence may seem harsh it sends the a very strong message. Why do you think her family wants her to serve out her time here!!!!!!!!

Reform says:

05:29pm | 27/08/09

Dear Mr Fielding, Taxes or time limits will not change social attitudes. Alcohol should be served with food. I would recommend that restrictions be introduced to the layouts of premise serving alcohol. The design of these premises need to be changed with a focus of more “food with drink” services. Bar service areas made smaller and the introduction of more booths or tables and chairs will place people in an environment where food and drink go together therefore drinking less and not drinking on an empty stomach.

Baghdadi says:

05:31pm | 27/08/09

If we learnt anything from prohibition, its that increasing the drinking age will not work. Instead we will have 18 to 21 year olds getting hideously drunk at house parties and parks, where there is NO responsible service of alcohol, and NO security or police presence. What we need to do is change the culture of drinking in Australia. In many European countries the legal drinking age is 16, and most have drunk alcohol at home before then. The difference is that the culture of heavy drinking is not so prescient in Europe, and thats what we have to immitate.

Thomas says:

05:31pm | 27/08/09

Well, I’d articulated an answer based on my own personal experience as a teenager, talking about the alcopop tax, talking about drinking as a culture, about social regulation to achieve compliance with the law and about politicians as moral leaders and our shift towards sound-bytes and intolerance of opinions. Summed it up with a brief conclusion on morality and the law.

However, apparently you cannot post over 5,000 characters, and furthermore, I cannot even retrieve all the text that I’ve now lost. Senator Fielding, if you are serious about this, I’m happy to re-type it all and email it to you.

Cheers.

H says:

05:31pm | 27/08/09

“Now I’m no wowser.”

You’re one on climate change, Steve.

Cazzy says:

05:32pm | 27/08/09

Actually Gregory Hatten, the Senate does not use the preferential voting system.  Originally designed to protect the States, the Senate uses proportional representation which is a very democratic process.  Unfortunately, due to party politics, the upper house can end up being a “rubber stamp” (when the govt. has a majority), “hostile” (when the opposition has a majority) or, as it is currently, a small party holding the balance of power.

As for alcohol consumption, the government should concentrate on the business of running this country and not worrying about individual’s self destructive behavior.  If an intoxicated person breaks the law, then it’s the police and judicial systems job to ensure they are punished.

Reggie Miller says:

05:35pm | 27/08/09

How about more education on the subject of Alcohol at school. The way its made, the way it affects the body, the way it is incorporated into our society. Maybe some field trips to the factories where its made, field trips to the hospitals to see alcohol related injuries. We need a system that shows the overall process that teaches how the alcohol gets from point A to your stomach, and what happens afterwards.

Better education should make the younger generation more confident about taking decisions when it comes time for them to drink.

Its just like young people killing themselves on the roads. Make a driver training course compulsory in order to get a license. People are less likely to take a stupid risk if they are already aware of the consequences.

DM says:

05:35pm | 27/08/09

If you want to Curb Alcohol Violence, there needs to be some changes to our cities.  Firstly, after a big night out, you need to get people out of the cities.  That MUST mean 24 hour public transport.  We also need to stop taxi’s picking and choosing who they take home.  We need pattrolled Taxi Ranks where people wait and are guaranteed taxi’s.  Make it illegal for taxi’s to pick up people anywhere but these taxi ranks.  You need to stop the “mega Clubs” and promote smaller establishments.  We also need to make clubs accountable for their actions.  right now its all care and no responsibility once they are thrown out of the clubs for being violent.  Most of all, lets substantially increase the punishment for any violence and carrying a weapon, then advertise the hell out of it.  If you are caught with a knife, or hit someone, you WILL do time.  Scare the hell out of these dimwits.
I dont see sport advertising as the major issues here, there are far bigger problems than advertising.

FANTA PANTS says:

05:41pm | 27/08/09

Steve, when was the last time you had a good look at the Federal Parliamentry booze bill for functions, lunches, and office consumption of booze in Parliament House by not only elected Politicians, but also the staffers along with it. I have been in and out of Parliamentry Offices and Fucntions for the last 15-20 years and the amount of booze on offer is astounding. So, if you guys are really serious about this and I hope you are you may want to start by setting an example at Parliament House in Canberra, as well as Ministerial Offices around the country.

Its not at all unheard of to hear of and/or see the remnants of a night of boozing after an important piece of Legislation is passed, or a particulary good day in Question time by either the Government of the Day or the Opposition.

Focus on whats in front of you, and then work out how to present alternatives to the people who youa re elected to represent.

Importantly we have to instill a level of self responsibility for the younger generations and the generations to come, we are stripping away the ability for those generations to excercise a bit of self control and common sense, we are legislating it out of them by simply putting up brick walls all over the palce.

Its a complex issue, and I don’t have the answers, these are simply my observations. And like noses and backsides, everyone has an opinion, some are bigger than others thats all.

JB says:

05:43pm | 27/08/09

I’m just gonna throw it out there, because it seems no one else is holding back (MDMA and legalised dope hahah, that’s gold. You clearly can’t be serious because you can type).
Perhaps we are looking only at dealing with the symptoms rather than the problem.
If there has been a percentage increase in bingeing (anyone got the figures?) over recent history than maybe its because of social attitude shift.
We’ve seen in the past decade or so an increase in obesity, depression, wastage, so why wouldn’t our pursuit of more more more pass on to drinking to?
The concept of the ‘pursuit of happiness’ comes to mind, particularly when advertising companies are convincing us that we will be happier if we buy their product. I know I want to laze on a beach with a hot chick just like in the corona ad, or be in a huge country pub with heaps of good blokes in the VB ad, so why don’t I buy some coronas/Vomit Bombs?
Then of course there’s ‘happy hours’ at pubs and clubs - the six o’clock swill for the 21st century.
Obviously the link between drinking and being happier is one we either need to remove from advertising, or go out of our way to explain - it is not alcohol that makes you happy (go to an AA meeting to see the conflict on this thought) - it is the people you are with, the place you’re at etc. etc.
If we learn to say “enough” then it might not be an issue at all.

Grant says:

05:50pm | 27/08/09

Steve

I point you to recent history in America, where we can all learn about the mistakes of the past. 

In 1920 Prohibition became law in the US.  It was spearheaded by the temperance movement which emerged in the form of organisations guided by religious groups in the first half of the nineteenth century.

These were committed (at first) to minimizing alcohol consumption, however this groups ploy worked and it later lead to the eradication of the use of beverage alcohol altogether. 

In its earliest phase the local aristocracy saw in the manners and morals of a rowdy electorate a threat to its own fading power. 

I do so put to you sir that you in fact would support the eventual introduction of prohibition in the initial guise of harm minimisation through legislation.

Mark the spark says:

05:51pm | 27/08/09

People drink to escape the pressure exerted on them by work and society, so lets all drink to that

Jack P says:

05:52pm | 27/08/09

Whatever wowser.

Why don’t you mind your own business? Oh, that’s right, you’re a repressed misanthrope who can’t stand to see the enjoyment of others!

Leave us alone Steve.

BB says:

05:56pm | 27/08/09

The Swedish experience shows that making alcohol both very expensive and restricting sales is extremely effective in curbing alcohol abuse and violence. For decades Sweden only allowed alcohol to be sold in drab government shops from 12-6pm Monday-Thursday with no advertising allowed. In the 1930s alcohol was rationed. In the 1980s a glass of beer cost the equivalent of about $8. It was only after Sweden joined the EU that these restrictions were lifted.

Billy Pilgrim says:

05:59pm | 27/08/09

Legalise marijuana and MDMA, severely restrict alcohol, and be amazed at the results.
Really, is it that hard to see?

Theo says:

05:59pm | 27/08/09

Stop selling alcohol in bottle shops after hours. Normal shopping centres close 5pm on a Saturday but bottle shops stay open till ....  do they close ? This will stop people from topping up their supplies when they have consumed everything they had. How often do you yee youngsters buying a carton or two at a bottle shop and opening it right away, in the car. So what do you think is going to happen, they driver is NOT going to drink. Think again.

Stricter control and penalties on bars and clubs for selling to drunk people. Close the club on the spot for a day or two.

Find someone drunk in public and take off points on their drivers licence.

Cameron says:

05:59pm | 27/08/09

Wow, I can’t believe someone turned this into a “ITS GENERATION Y’S FAULT” arguement. You should report for ACA or Today Tonight… there aren’t as many dogs in the world “IT’S GENERATION Y’S FAULT”. Get off your high horse, realise you’re old, your ideas/thoughts/beliefs are outdated, and be thankful that we’re taking over.

Seriously, the “alcopops” tax did nothing to deter people from drinking. All it did was raise the number of kids that needed their stomachs pumped as they turned to cheaper alternatives (straight alcohol/drugs) instead of your ever so horrible “alcopops”. Not to mention the tax was aimed at “young people binge drinking” (namely females), yet now, Steve, you say it was supposed to curb “alcohol fuelled violence” being perpetrated by people OVER the age of 18… make your mind up, and stop playing to the public by jumping on whatever media bandwagon you can.

Locking out or closing clubs/pubs just fuels more anger from punters, once you then put them all in one spot? What do you think is going to happen… OF COURSE there are going to be drunken altercations! When you put a bunch of drunks in the same place, all angry at being ejected from a venue at the same time there are ALWAYS going to be issues. Nice logic.

A heavier Police presence is all that is needed. Want a way to deter people from knocking each other out? Make them pay for their actions, instead of slapping a bloke on the wrist after he hospitalised someone. Lock the thug up! I’m 20, and the amount of times I’ve seen/been involved in fights in CBD areas is ridiculous! And not ONCE have Police been anywhere to be seen… They’re the first on the scene if there is an “underage person with alcohol on the street”, yet once there is actually an issue they’re nowhere to be found. if this is because there simply aren’t enough Police, PUT YOUR FUNDING INTO GETTING MORE.

Oh and I want to throw in the fact that this stuff has ALWAYS been happening, the only difference is the media have ANY instance of this sort of thing in their sights to be the next major headline. They’re just reporting more of the instances, the number of instances is not getting larger. Just like more and more “Drunk footy players” are getting themselves into trouble… yeah right. The media just seem to get word of these issues more often and blow them into bigger issues. I know of people who purposely go out of their way to create issues with “drunk footy players” if they see them.

Until people start to be held accountable for their actions, their actions wont change.

BE Responsible for your actions says:

06:01pm | 27/08/09

Well lets look at the whole situation society has changed, when I was a kid in the 70 and 80s my old man and most fathers would stop off every afternoon and have a couple of cold ones and then come home (yes yes 0.08 BAC was legal then), Now we have 0.05, we spend more time at work and have less time due to all the add on’s so if we get an opportunity we go hard and go fast me included. 

Overall Australia alcohol consumtion per capita has decreased greatly in the last 20 years but now we spend 90% of our time worried about the 10% of idiots.  Simple no tolerance fine them on the spot for bad behaviour which includes pissing in public, vomiting and public disturbance (fighting) who cares who started it if your in it you get fined and I am talking immediate $1000 for fights and $300 for anything else.  Do that once or twice and you will start changing the persons behavior.  State and federal need to come together as a cordinated campagin and this is another reason to get rid of states governments because they have their own agenda and still squabble about little details.

Chris says:

06:01pm | 27/08/09

Steve.
I dont believe the problem is not entirely alcohol, it is my belief that it is more what it is mixed with these days. I may be wrong here but it seems that since the advent of so called “energy” drinks, alcohol abuse has become a worsening problem.  My theory is this, Alcohol is a depresant substance and these so called energy drinks are packed full of stimulants.  When consumed together in large quantities the contradictory effects of each substance causes very confused messages in the brain.  I feel it would be far better to regulate what substances can be sold mixed with alcohol over the bar and as a premixed drink (Alcopop).  Medication (by law) has warnings relating to driving vehicles and consumption of alcohol and so should the “Energy” drinks. Promotion of responsible consumption of both alcohol and energy drinks as separate products but discouraging the combining of the two would be a great start in my opinion.  Lastly the judiciary should take a hard line with people who demonstrate that they can not be trusted to consume alcohol responsibly.

Cummo says:

06:02pm | 27/08/09

I am an ex-cop. Binge drinking has not sprung up overnight but has developed over time as community tolerance and expectations have lapsed. Education doesn’t work as drink is a right of passage. Taxes don’t work as it only moves drinkers onto something easier to obtain, cheaper to binge on and has the same or better effect (such as illicit drugs). I watched as places like the heart of Canberra became no go zones due to gangs of drunk blokes looking for a chance to beat up others who were outnumbered. Alcohol fuels violence. Long term health issues aside the short term problem of alcohol and violence has to be sharply addressed by a no tolerance approach. If you are drunk and obnoxious/offensive/abusive then you get locked up until sober and you are fined a reasonable amount to cover police costs (say a few hundred dollars). Maybe even a 1, 2 and 3 approach 1. lock up and caution with small fine. 2. lock up and larger fine for repeat offence and 3. lock up, fined and barred for a period of time from the CBD/place of trouble etc. Years ago being drunk, abusive, offensive became acceptable. Magistrates allowed drunks to call police and others whatever they wanted. Tidy up the problem through a no tolerance approach. This way the 99% of people who want to fun and get home safely won’t be punished though higher taxes or other restrictions. Just get tough on the drunks and even tougher on the thugs who assault people. There has to be a strong deterrent to a big problem. Taxes and eduction will not work - ask any cop who deals with these idiots - they are on the frontline every day.

J says:

06:05pm | 27/08/09

Steven - removing alcohol advertising from sport would cost Australians jobs and their live sport.  I can understand why cigarette advertising was removed - there is no safe way to smoke tobacco.  But there are safe ways to drink alcohol.  The next big advertiser that could fill the void left behind by alcohol would be fast food - and you’d be back on your high horse (if you ever get off it) whining about children being subjected to cholesterol.  I’m all for warning labels on packs, I am all for restriction of advertising in kids programs.  But wake up to yourself.  You can’t save drunk idiots from themselves.  Start making people responsible for their own decisions.

And an alcohol tax is a joke.  They just end up affecting the rest of us without a drinking problem, as we give up drink to be able to pay rent and bills.  For the out of control boozers, it’s the other way around - they’ll neglect their responsibilities all for alcohol.

I applaud your stance on climate change mate - but on this issue, you’ve got it dead wrong.

dave sands says:

06:08pm | 27/08/09

I’m pretty sure most aussies are not into taking advise from ademented version of Ned Flanders. No doubt he has not been part of a lifestyle where alcohol and drugs are needed to smooth out the ride. People mainly over indulge to ecape that fact that drongos like this galoot are intent on turning this country into a wowser state. Iall rules and no leadership.
I recall the 70’s and 80 where drinking was much heaviermore common at lunchtime and after work and driving while drunk common.  Prohibition of Pot has criminised the population who may want a gentle buzz but risk legal consequences so take a drink and then another.  at leaset one contributor sang the praises of legalising pot and I’m sure this will be good for the whole society but bad news for the grog companies and their poitical buddies.  but cleans will huff and puff anbout falling standardards while being the real cause of the probelm.

CJ says:

06:10pm | 27/08/09

The solution is prevention, not tougher policing, not cutting advertising from sporting games - come on, it’s not like they’re advertising during kid’s TV programing. As you say, if a guy came to your house with alcohol and wanted to sit in front of your kids, you wouldn’t let him… but my dad sat with me to watch footy when I grew up, drinking beer all the time, and it’s the same thing! I wasn’t allowed to have any, but it was in my face. And I’m not an aggressive drunk.

Some people are just more aggressive than other people when they drink, and more needs to be done to teach people how to control their anger, or recognise the warning signs when they drink.

One other point - go to any dance festival and there are NO fights. Everyone is drinking, but is nice to each other, and half way through most people are on the waters. Ecstacy is a safe drug if used in moderation and if the most police have to deal with at a rave is some dyhydrating, then at least they aren’t hurting anyone else…just sayin’...

Jack says:

06:10pm | 27/08/09

Chris, are you serious? Caffeine is behind the drunken violence and mayhem which is apparently taking over our streets and leaving good-hardworkin-aussie-battla-homeowning-boomer-families hiding under the bed?

Should be ban coffee? I saw a guy with a latte this morning, he might be out trying to bash a cop as we speak!

Dave (Melbourne) says:

06:11pm | 27/08/09

Great idea and I really respect you asking the people. I have travelled throug the US extensively and what seems to work well over there is that in some states they stop serving alcohol well before the venue closes. This means that people often sober up before leaving the venue and it also decreases the influx of drunks onto the streets. It’s not THE answer, but it sure would help subdue late night violence, which has me steering clear of the city when I look to go out at night.

Marc says:

06:24pm | 27/08/09

Like cigarettes, alcohol is a socially accepted habit that is both harmful and addictive.
There was once a time when people smoked cigarettes on trains and public transports as well as in bars and clubs.
Basically everwhere you looked there was someone with a smoke hanging out of a persons mouth. People still smoke now (people like myself) but I have noticed a stigma that is attached to the act of smoking.
If I want to light a cigarette I have to seperate myself from non-smokers in order to have it.
How this happened I’m not sure, but surely it could also be done for alcohol n’est ce pas?

Although, having said that people will still binge drink no matter what you do, people still smoke despite the fact it is no longer fashionable.

Nate says:

06:26pm | 27/08/09

Here is a suggestion.

How about you stop trying to control people because they do not live their lives according to your world view. 

People can go out, get blasted and have a great time without any violence what-so-ever.  Me and my friends have done it for years.

First supporting the insane proposal to censor the internet, now this.  Unbelievable!  Your views to not represent the majority of Australians, for one most are not Christian. 

It is also important to remember that violence occurs between totally sober people too.  It is an obvious fallacy to connect alcohol and violence.  It is like suggesting we ban milk because murderers drink milk.

The real issue is lack of consequences.  Many in Australia have been brought up in cultures and environments where there is a lack of respect and a lack of consequences.  People know that they can commit violence time and time again again and get little more than a fine.  That is if they get caught, if they make it to trial and if they are found guilty.  Introducing minimum sentencing, a zero tolerence approach and reducing the power of defence lawyers is the key to reducing violent crime in Australia.

Nate says:

06:26pm | 27/08/09

I almost forgot to mention.  It is simply unacceptable to reduce the liberties of the many to control the actions of a few when there are much better solutions available (eg targeting the few, rather than making the many suffer).

Chris says:

06:32pm | 27/08/09

Jack
I did not mention caffeine even though it is an ingrediant, I used the word “Stimulants” as there are many others apart from caffeine in an energy drink . It is a proven fact that over consumption of stimulants is damaging to ones health.  It is also a fact that over consumption of alcohol is damaging to your health. It’s the the excessive consumption of a combination of the two that I believe is the problem not the responsible use of each separately.

Anna says:

06:34pm | 27/08/09

Why would people give up something if it fulfils a need that nothing else can?  Whether it’s relaxation, escapism or entertainment,  alcohol provides it for a lot of people.  And if there’s no alternative, why would they stop?

Here’s my analogy:

It’s like sitting a hungry kid in front of a cheeseburger, and telling them not to eat it.  But it doesn’t work, so you put a higher tax on the cheeseburger, and you show the kid adverts about why cheeseburgers are bad.  But the kid’s hungry, so it comes down to it, he doesn’t care- this cheeseburger will stop the hunger pangs, so he eats it.

Wouldn’t it make more sense to give him something else to eat?  If he’s full, he’ll lose the desire for the cheeseburger himself!  Then there won’t be any need for you to convince him! 

It’s a futile exercise anyway, convincing a hungry kid not to eat a cheeseburger.  Unless he gets something else to eat, he’ll be getting hungrier by the minute, and your arguments, whilst getting more sophisticated, will get weaker to him as his hunger grows stronger.

So- my recommendation is to provide an alternative.  Convincing arguments against alcohol won’t work, as people’s desire to use it to fulfil their needs will always be stronger.  Find the need, and replace alcohol’s service with something else.

Is there something else?  Well I personally stopped drinking when I found everything I wanted in Jesus.  I actually lost the desire to drink, because of all the joy I found in my new life.  This was my alternative, and it worked!

Take what you want from this, this was my experience.  But I think that there’s truth in what I said.  I can understand why no one would want to give it up, because it satisfies so many different things.  Only if something better can be provided will people actually want to make the switch.

Being convinced by someone else will never last.  People will only stick to decisions if they made the choice themselves.  So in my opinion, convincing them out of drinking will not work, but letting them choose something better will.  Free will is powerful!

Simon says:

06:36pm | 27/08/09

2 things that would help fix it all;
 
Raise the legal drinking age to 24. Everyones an idiot until they are 30.
Add 6 months or 1000 bucks to the sentance of any crime committed while under the influence.

Susan says:

06:44pm | 27/08/09

Instead of spending time wandering streets looking for drunks, the cops should be putting more time into going into licensed venues and ensuring the bar staff are enforcing “No more it’s the law” type sensible drinking requirements. I’ve honestly never seen someone refused service until they’ve either thrown up, passed out or started a fight. I’ve once asked the bar staff to please refuse service to someone cos I’d seen how drunk they were, and been ignored. Bar staff are too busy thinking about money through the till to worry about responsible service of alcohol.

Ultimately, I think the solution has to be in some way related to not glorifying drunkenness - e.g. the Boonie record on the plane to London, Bob Hawke drinking from a yard glass stuff. Strategies should be focused on finding a way to reduce this glorification. How to do this, I don’t know, but the need to be seen as “cool” and be socially accepted drives a lot of this behaviour. I know I never had a binge cos it was pleasant, I hated the way I felt the next day, but my friends didn’t think I was “soft”...

Elizabeth says:

06:44pm | 27/08/09

I live in Germany at the moment and their system seems to work well with little incidence of alcohol fuelled violence.
Children from 14 are allowed to drink as long as they are with a parent or Guardian (my boyfriends son drinks Alster at 14) and at 16 they can drink alone. The whole message here is get them used to it from young so it’s not a big deal as they get older.
Everyone knows Germany and Beer go together but beer is just another refreshing beverage in Germany. Most of the violent occurrences in my area are by British/American/Australian Military who just go a bit overboard becuase of the availability of alcohol.
I don’t think it’s more restriction that Australia needs I think it’s more reliance on adults to safely guide children. I grew up through my teenage years in Cyprus where you can drink freely (used to) and I have absolutely no desire to drink myself silly now. I have the odd beer after work or have a good night out once in a while with friends.
The more illegal you make something the more people want to do it. When will govt realise this?

Dan Micheals says:

06:47pm | 27/08/09

Your a complete joke for asking this Q.

Like you actually care one bit about Australia’s youth. You smashed so many services that addressed these kinds of things when you voted to destroy student associations. You, my good sir,  should be ashamed. I can only hope that no major party is fool enough to put you into the Senate again. Shame on you! Shame on your party.

I have no respect for you “asking the people”, because it’s all just a game of “look at me” with you. If you did want to know what’s going on the streets. GET OUT THERE!!! Come on down to Adelaide and head into Hindley Street for a Friday night. Where you’ll soon see that the vast majority of young and old revellers are perfect, law abiding citizens that DO NOT need the Federal Government to come up with some sort of master plan to stop them hurting themselves and others by drinking.

The only solution, which Mr F you well know, is to heavily fund organisations and programs that are there to help those that need it. Promotion and marketing of these services is almost as crucial as having them. If no one knows they can get help then how on earth are they going to be affective?

Joe Black says:

06:47pm | 27/08/09

Here’s an idea steve: Leave people to make their own decisions.  Shocking I know.

Melody says:

06:50pm | 27/08/09

Congratulations on taking a stand, Steve.  I’m not a wowser either and I have an occasional drink, too, but it’s gone WAY beyond a joke - alcohol is the main reason why young people are fighting and dying on our streets and it’s got to stop.  Some suggestions to stem the tide:

1.  2 am close for EVERY licenced venue, regardless of location.  This also needs to apply to ALL alcohol outlets, including drive-through service at pubs, so that there is a portion of every night where alcohol cannot be legally purchased anywhere.  All 24-hour outlets (service stations, 7-11s etc)must also stop selling alcohol during this period.
2.  Increased police presence in the vicinity of licenced premises between 2 am and 3 am.
3.  Increased public transport from the CBD to outer suburban areas between 2 am and 3 am so drunks can get home rather than remaining in the city streets to cause trouble or taking taxis and bashing drivers.  Armed security guards and CCTV cameras on every train during this time so that ALL bad behaviour results in clear consequences and nobody who commits violence EVER gets away with it.
4.  Increase alcohol prices and taxes.  If people continue to make poor choices regarding their alcohol consumption, then they should suffer the consequences.
5.  Zero tolerance from magistrates and police.  Police have the right to use whatever force is necessary to defend themselves from injury - no more, no less.  Offenders, if not jailed, must still be held responsible for their actions and forced to make reparations for damaged property and, more importantly, provide some sort of community service to anyone they have hurt.  If they refuse or fail to follow through, then automatic deprivation of liberty and steep fines ensue.

Yes, this will cost a lot of money.  Maybe some of these initiatives should happen on a trial basis to see what kind of impact they make and then assess their effect after a suitable trial period.  Ultimately, I’d much rather spend a few million on making our streets safer than squandering that money on ridiculous ideas such as spending $20 million on promoting Australia internationally.  Let’s get our priorities right and stop drunks killing our kids first.

Rebecca says:

06:55pm | 27/08/09

You need to take the millions of dollars being spent on advertising that binge drinkers don’t take notice of anyway and put it towards more police officers at the pubs and clubs. Perhaps use it to pay the police officers, who are risking their lives, a decent wage.
If you tell people not to drink , they will do it just in spite. I’m 19 and I go out on the weekends because I want to see my friends and have a good time after a horrible week at work. No extra tax or binge drinking booklets are going to convince me not to get drunk on a Friday or Saturday night. We just need police who are going to be there to prevent the fights and bad behaviour. They also need to be trained to talk civil to drunk idiots instead of yelling at them which only makes them worse.

Also, in some places over seas the clubs stop serving drinks for 15 - 20mins every hour. I think this would work because people would have to get water if they are really thirsty from dancing, or they would have to wait.

Pippa says:

06:59pm | 27/08/09

Increase the drinking age to 21.

trent says:

07:01pm | 27/08/09

I have some respect for the fact you are reaching out steve.  i’m glad you want to have the debate.  but are you willing to accept the answers might not be ones you want to hear?

i am involved in a number of amateur sporting clubs and we rely heavily on sponsorship dollars and bar sales to provide facilities for our members.  i have absolutely no doubt that taking these away will severely diminish the number of sporting clubs that exist. large increases in costs passed on to the members will mean less people playing sport - end of story.

you seem to be basing the majority of your view on a couple of comments people have made to you and the front page of newspapers.  i really hope this isn’t the basis but it’s all you’ve given.  the advent of instantaneous media means all issues are blown out of proportion, leading people who aren’t in the real world and occassionally in these “no-go” zones to believe every night is fight night.  some real penalties for people belting others in the head may deter them next time. 

and lock-outs?  way to stop fights!  keep everyone on the streets and p*ss them off more by not letting them in anywhere!  people NEED A CHOICE, just need some guidance to making the right choices.

Matthew da Silva says:

07:03pm | 27/08/09

I totally agree with Senator Fielding’s goal of decoupling sport and alcohol. I remember, in Sydney’s Broadway, the big Marlboro sign at the top of the hill near Central Station. That’s gone now. The other night there was a TV spot in a news broadcast showing street ads in Jakarta placed by cigarette companies, and I felt very strange seeing them there. I felt as though something was wrong.

I cannot see the difference between cigarette advertising and alcohol advertising. In my mind there is no question that there should be zero alcohol ads associated with sport. Seeing the hats with VB signs on them, the uniforms with XXXX emblazoned on them - this just seems so wrong.

Chris says:

07:04pm | 27/08/09

Steven, if you are “dumbfounded” that a twenty-year-old can down an average of about 2 drinks an hour during a night out, then I think that says a lot more about you than it does about the average Australian (be they young or old).
12 drinks in a night is nothing special.  My 65-year old father will drink that much (albeit in the form of wine, port and scotch) during a night out at dinner and still have no problems getting up at 6am the next morning to play golf (or go to work, before he retired).  Personally, I’d be more worried if a twenty-year-old was in such poor physical and mental shape they couldn’t get up the next day and play cricket.

That is not to glorify alcohol abuse, nor those who use it as an excuse for violence, of course.  But the point is that most people are more than capable of drinking well in excess of “12 Jagerbombs” without suffering any short- or long-term ill effects.  These people should not have to change their lifestyle because of a handful of wowsers and idiots.

mikk says:

07:09pm | 27/08/09

Target the pushers.
The AHA and the other trade organisations. The sports and advertisers that assist in pushing this drug. The publicans and nightclub owners who grow fat on the carnage.  The brewers and distillers who have expanded their range of poisons so heavily in recent decades. All of them with a vested interest in keeping their junkie mobs intoxicated and stupified and spending more on their addiction.  With no thought for our community they are willfully encouraging underage and binge drinking for their own selfish ends and they should be brought to heel. Nothing else has any hope of reversing the rising tide of alcohol fueled violence and the resulting costs to the rest of us in policing, prosecution and the medical costs.

creeped out and freaked out says:

07:12pm | 27/08/09

Well I’m not going to offer a solution or anything but I would like to say that many politicians aren’t exactly role models for perfect behaviour. I went to a dinner at the parliament house in my state, because I have family connections, and a politician who I was seated with asked me what I wanted to drink. I laughed and told him “No thanks, i’m only 16”, but he proceeded to order me several glasses of wine anyway and was generally a seedy old bast*rd, telling me how attractive I was and as a joke ‘I don’t want to have your babies now.’ Another occasion i met him, he also told me I should have sex more often. Wtf. I’ts really…hmmm, ‘reassuring’ knowing that seedy pr*cks like these run our country and are happy to promote under-age drinking and sex with old men. three cheers for the pollies of my state.

Imogen says:

07:15pm | 27/08/09

I have the answer honestly.
The truth is our society cares little about health warnings. For those who choose to abuse their bodies with alcohol do so as some sort of competition. Needless to say the “better” your story is about a “normal night out” the more support you get to do it . All people love the entertainment and applaud your downright dangerous behaviour gets when told to mates the next day. Drunks are popular and health issues are seen as the distant future. Shock campaigns that the goverment has produced quite honestly are not shocking !the more drama and fighting the better the night out. It makes a persons hangover story much more interesting so people encourage it.
Want to fix it???? I DO HAVE THE ANSWER.
What have we come to ? People wont stop drinking because it makes their APPEARANCE better. They are cooler, more interesting.
Its all about APPEARANCE.
Steven I really support you in this because it has to stop. Here is how.
Start researching how UGLY alcohol makes you. People spend hundreds on trying to look more beautiful for their “normal night out” to go out and look attractive botox / clothes etc. ENFORCE the idea that alcohol fasttracks AGEING. Say how much you age your face per drink consumed!!!! That will be more effective than any other campaign ever! Say how FAT it makes you. Tell people the average amount of FAT consumed per glass. HONESTLY IT WILL WORK! Just asking the billion dollar cosmetics industry. Women obviously will be the first targets but they have great influence over men aswell think of mens cosmetics! The nag of “honey dont drink so much you will get more wrinkles and get fat and age faster” will work much more than “you are unhealthy”. Why because of APPEARANCE. Focus on how alcohol can effect your BIOLOGICAL AGE, people will be embarrassed. Put DRINKING THIS WILL MAKE YOU OLD, FAT AND WRINKLY on a glass and see how sales go. Why will this definately work? BECAUSE ALCOHOL IS SOLD ON THE PROMISE OF MAKING YOU SEXY!  APPEARANCE.

Thankyou for your help please seriously consider this additional to any health campaigns.

(And I am 20years old and don’t drink because I dont want to damage my body or appearance.)

Social Drinker says:

07:37pm | 27/08/09

Stop the bulls…t Fielding. You failed the first and second time when opposed the Alcopops tax. Nothing stops someone from quitting if don’t hit their hip pocket. Tax Alcohol and Cigs to the max.

Chris says:

07:40pm | 27/08/09

Hi Steve,

People need an escape from reality.  Sure - its not what we want to hear - but its unfortunately the truth. 

For some this is social drugs, for others, its simply a few beers at the end of a day at work.  People wanting to ‘wind down’, relax with family and friends. 

The problem lies not with alcohol but with establishments allowing bar service to continue into the early hours of the morning.  People are fuelled on bravado and alcohol (normally a lot of both by 2am).

The Alcopops tax, in my opinion, was an attempt by the government to try and curb teenage binge drinking.  However the way this played out in parliament left a sour taste and mumblings of ‘tax grab’ amongst the public

There are a lot of non-teens who drink alcopop drinks.  Guys might like a bourban and coke, the ladies might like a vodka and lime.  Should they really be penalised for the actions of teen drinkers? 

Maybe introduce heavier taxes for younger people (im not going to make friends by saying that) - but the 25+ year old profession man or woman shouldnt be taxed further….they dont have a drinking problem….they arent walking the streets at 3am (well the majority arent).

I’d suggest a sliding tax scale based on age, making it more unattractive for the younger drinkers to drink as much as they currently do. 

Im summary - tax everything - or tax nothing.  You cant focus it on one area of the alcohol market. 

Thanks for your time.

Matthew says:

07:45pm | 27/08/09

Senator Fielding,

You (governments, state and federal) are getting it all wrong.  It’s not about tax, we’ll drink something cheaper or stop payng off our credit card.  It’s not about warning labels, we know what alcohol does.  It’s not about opening hours and number of pubs, we’ll find somewhere to drink if we really want to, or we’ll just drink faster

Senator Fielding, it’s a little more fundamental.  We no longer take responsibility for our own actions, and this is for two reasons.

1. We don’t have to.  If we hurt someone the courts are lenient, if we get sick medicare will pay for it, if we break stuff, the police will be too busy to even care, if we fall over we’ll sue the bar for negligence.

2. We’re out of practice.  We are told where and how to cross the road, what to think, what to read, what not to view on the internet, what not to watch on TV, what not to smoke, where we can drink, what hours we should shop, how to raise our children.  We are simply not used to thinking for ourselves.

You don’t give us any leeway to live our own lives, but you give us far too much leeway to do the wrong thing.  You find it easier to pass laws that punish people who do the right thing, then to try and curb the anti-social behaviour of people who do the wrong thing.  People get away with crimes because alcohol impaired their judgement.

In short, when you are sober, your every moveis scrutinied.  When you are drunk, you can do whatever the hell you like.

Thank you for asking.

Bryce says:

07:48pm | 27/08/09

-Beer and Pre-mixed spirits should only be available in cans and not bottles.

-Remove glass from pubs and clubs and replace it with plastic.

-Actually enforce laws preventing drunk patrons from being served

Stefan says:

07:51pm | 27/08/09

I whole heartedly agree that something needs to be done. But I must insist the the people to do the right thing should not be affected by changes implemented by the government.
As a 22 year old who spends most Saturday nights in the city i have often seen first hand the crises at hand, yet i have not once been affected as my mind set when i’m is to always stay away from trouble, whether that be drunk people or places with a bad reputation.
There is no quick cheap fix for the problem, but i believe that much harsher penalties that are enforced is one of a couple of solutions. I don’t no anyone that would punch someone if an on the spot 1500 dollar fine was to be handed out to them.
The other solution is a city wide system that night spots can use to identify trouble makers. Such as facial recognition soft ware, Drivers licence recognition software, so that if someone stuffs up when drunk and is ejected from a pub/club a warning will go out to all pubs/clubs and that person is unable to enter any other venue not just that night but for a set period of time. Bans may range from 1 month for a first offence, 3 months for a second offence and a year for a third offence. etc

Chris says:

07:56pm | 27/08/09

you also asked for help on climate change and tried to show a flawed graph to Al Gore.

on the topic of alcohol, midnight closing may work, and jail people for being on drugs. yes, even just on them - not selling. sure both alcohol and eg speed are both drugs, but the latter is responsible for far far far far more violence.

alcohol is not the problem says:

08:00pm | 27/08/09

I think that the increase in the amount of violence is more due to drugs than alcohol. Yes, people taking these drugs are also consuming alcohol but I don’t think that people who only drink alcohol are to blame.

Secondly, the more restrictions you place on something, the more attractive it becomes. Its like telling a toddler not to do something, he wants to do it even more. Or telling someone not to touch the wet paint, they will go and touch it anyway.

We need MORE clubs and pubs not less so that people aren’t all crammed into a limited number of places which is so annoying when all you want to do is hang out and have a good time. Licensed venues should also be open LATER so that people wanting to go out out for a drink have more hours over which to spread their drinking. This would also reduce crowding as people have more time to go out as well as giving people a chance to sober up before they leave.

Finally, restaurants should be allowed to serve only alcohol rather than patrons having to buy a substantial meal as this would desensitise younger people to the responsible consumption of alcohol. If the only time young people (ie < 18yo) see alcohol being consumed is when their mates are all on a binge, then that will become the norm for them. If alcohol consumption is seen to be a common,  everyday occurrence that doesn’t need to be a binge then I think it would help to change the binge drinking culture.

My friends and I were all binge drinkers in our teens and early 20s and no one was ever involved in any violence. I believe the biggest difference was that there wasn’t as many drugs around. Yes there was marijuana but none of the methamphetamines which is really a bigger problem from what I have seen.

DG (Formerly known as Stumped) says:

08:00pm | 27/08/09

BMJ says (at 03:04pm)
“How about Pollies stop trying to shape some kind of idealic Utopian soceity!”

That’s possibly one of the funniest things that I have read on this website. WE vote for politicians based on the image of an “idyllic utopian society” that they sell in the lead up to the election. Rudd’s “green” ideals won him points at the last election, while Howard’s “work choices” ideals lost him points.

If the purpose of politics ISN’T to form the idyllic society, why do we have elections? Whats the point of democracy?

Darryl says:

08:17pm | 27/08/09

Good luck Steve, you may be concerned about the ads on TV and radio encouraging kids/teen to take up drinking but, Picture this: You are at home with your young children watching football on television. The doorbell rings. A mate stands at the door with his arms laden with alcohol products. He says he is there to sit with you and your children to watch the footie. He is dressed in sporting gear. He assures you that the children cannot drink the products because they are for you and him and the little buggers will waste the beer but they can look as much as they like. Would you invite him in to sit on your couch next to your children? Of course he’s a mate.

The real issue is 90% of the world drink, kids see their mum, dad, nan, pop, uncle, auntie, family friends, complete strangers at family bbqs, Christmas, birthdays, weddings, Fridays nights, sporting events and in some cases every night drinking and having a good time, then when the kids are old enough the same old dad joke in getting the kid to hold the empty beer bottle and everyone laughs.  So of course the kid will take up drinking as soon as they can as it is related to good times.
People will only stop drinking when they are ready, you can not force them or nag them until they do. All stopping advertising will do is make a couple of megarich people a little less megarich.
As for the violence associated to drinking, I have been in one bar fight in 25 years of drinking and only seen a couple, but I have played rugby league for the same length of time and I have lost count of the number of fights I have been in on the field let alone watched, guess what, no one was drunk on the field.  The best way of combating the violence on the street is to get better tougher cops in numbers to patrol problem areas and get tougher laws in.

Paul (Perth) says:

08:21pm | 27/08/09

The problems start well before the pub, and I have some new Mosaic laws ..
1) Stop serving alcohol well before the venue closes. This means that people often sober up before leaving, and be sure to have water and food available.
2) Staff should not serve drinks to already drunk people: How? Breath test after 11 PM.
3) To all those advocating freedom: go home and get as smashed as you want! And who cares? Your family, you morons.
4) Too much violence? Have effective courts and protect police power to kick butts. If the crime is brutality, let the punishment be adequate. Offenders are getting away with murder, and victims are often ruined for life. Get real! Violent offenders should be held accountable for ALL expenses and losses incurred by the victims and their families.
5) Never mind jails, forced labour may work much better. Violence should be rewarded with a serve of the whip, solitary for two weeks to lick the wounds, with double dosage for return clients. Brutal? What about the brutality incurred by the victims? Ha! but who cares, unless they are football stars or politicians family members? Is any politician going to stick up for victims these days?? I thought that the duty of government was to protect the citizens! When an individual assaults another, PARTICULARLY with a gang and for pleasure, the individual becomes the enemy of society, the human rights he/she had, have been forfeited by violating another person. Sending someone to jail is OBVIOUSLY ineffective, and creates just better criminals.
5) Send all 15-16 yo to boot camp trice a year and at least get some discipline into them. Prevention is better and cheaper than cure.
6) Stop wasting money on graphic adverts; youths look at those as just another video game, and love it!
7) Stop finding excuses for aboriginal youth: they are not stupid monkeys and they are not the only ones to have had a hard childhood.
8) If you can’t give the right to cane back to the school, at least establish a school behaviour standard code good for all, no matter what their background maybe, independent from the principals office. One law is good enough out of school; why not in school??
9) Have a special patrol that takes roaming children back to school.
Why do I place so much emphasis on education discipline? Because that is where the trouble starts. If the tree is bad at the roots, pruning will not improve it. Don’t wait till the lawn is just weeds; clean up now and plant good seeds in the young, while we still can. Do nothing and you are going to end up fighting with tugs as well as vigilantes in the not so far future.
Good luck Steve.

John says:

08:26pm | 27/08/09

I can only think it is a cultural thing unfortunately. We need to look to other nations. I lived in Holland for a year as a teenager. The school students there couldn’t even definitively tell you what the drining age was. But they would just never get rolling drunk for some reason. The school evven provided alcohol at school dances with no issues (a catholic school too). They even have a word in Dutch for someone who drank to get drunk as opposed to someone who just drank. And drinking to get drunk was very frowned upon. I don’t know how to bottle the difference but we deffinately treat alcohol differently in Aus. Maybe we should spend more money on researching this than on re"branding” Australia or buying Chinese insulation.

anon says:

08:53pm | 27/08/09

Targetting alcohol advertising is not the answer. If you remove alcohol advertising from sport it only feeds 2 serious issues in society today - obesity and gambling. Obesity, because the grass roots sporting community cannot afford to exist without alcohol company funding leading to less active children and gambling because they are the only industry left with enough money to take alcohol advertising’s place. I guess the question is “whats worse?” I would imagine obesity costs society far more than alcohol related issues and gambling is an fast becoming a national epidemic. Also interesting to note - hasn’t the gambling industry recently had restrictions on their advertising reduced???

jill says:

09:02pm | 27/08/09

A pissed pirates package -  some directions in the right direction, with information and reminders on the effects of alcohol, and advertising directions to the nearest accomodation, place for a nap, the best rehabs (and build more gov funded rehabs.)Also Info on sexual assault and drugs. A condom and info on safe sex. A pirate patch for the boys and a scarf for the gals. Give them out on the streets and that will pull them out of the pubs cause they’ll all want to act like idiots with there new Pissed Pirate Package but at least they’ll learn something from their night out.

Cazzy says:

09:22pm | 27/08/09

Oppressive government control causes civil disobedience on a grand scale.  See prohibition and dictatorial regimes.  When you take away what people believe are basic human rights you cause unrest and ultimately, rebellion.  This will cause more violence and civil unrest than drunk teenagers in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Federal politicians are responsible for the management of the business of Australia.  You have no right to delve into their personal lives, whether self destructive or otherwise, christian or atheist.  The States have criminal codes that dictate what is socially acceptable and what is not.

You do not have a mandate to legislate (and waste our taxes) on arguing on what is moral and healthy and what you can do about it.  So many things are potentially unhealthy e.g: riding bicycles, motor bikes, fast cars, skydiving, bungy jumping, sky diving, swimming with stingrays, eating fried dim-sims every day, working in oil refineries.

Concentrate on running Australia as an economically, internationally viable equity and leave our personal morals and habits to ourselves.  Unless we violate the criminal code, our personal habits are none of your concern.  Do your bloody job!

Cat says:

09:29pm | 27/08/09

I don’t drink.

In my family, there has never been any alcohol in the fridge, unless when relatives came over for a gathering and they brought their own. After the parties, they usually took that stuff back with them too.

John (just before this post) was right, I think. It’s a cultural thing. And my culture is different.

My family immigrated to Oz from HK when I was 9, so my parents retained a lot of Asian culture and habits while us kids slowly turned towards the Oz culture, to the point where sometimes we find it hard to communicate and connect with them. However, we had all been influenced by it, naturally. And 2 things were not ever in the house - alcohol and cigarettes.

None of my parents’ 3 kids smoke, although while I don’t drink, my siblings do when they go out to socialise with their peers. But never to the levels I’ve seen some of my Aussie mates do.

What I’m saying is that parenting and education play a large part in how people socialise with one another. If we lived in a society where there’s never been any alcohol, I don’t think a whole heap of people would suddenly take it on and go binging when it became available. But because it’s always been accepted - alcohol in the fridge, parents drinking in front of the kids, drinking at the footy, kids hang out with other kids and they all go drinking, encouraging wilder behaviour from each other… that’s why we have this problem. If your parents frowned upon drinking, never had any, and you received proper education about the results and consequences of drinking to the point you cannot control your behaviour… then you would likely be an adult who won’t ever be more than a light drinker. But if your parents drank in front of you as if it was the most natural thing in the world, and your mates like to drink to excess, and you want to assimilate… well, that’s a combo that’s sure to land you in trouble, sooner or later.

Like another writer has already written, “alcohol is not the problem”.

I think it’s great that ANY politician would want to ask the public for its “help” - but at the end of the day, this seems like a desperate attempt to draw votes, plus you’re not really gonna change anything. Unless you have magic powers or superb solidarity and leadership, Mr. Fielding, nothing will change. But at least by publicising, you might bring more awareness to this problem we have in society.

Good luck.

Daniel says:

09:31pm | 27/08/09

Steve,
      You obviously dont understand this problem at all, and this is coming from a 22 year old.  Alcopops tax has actually done good, even though you’d like to deny it, I’ve witnessed the people turning to beer or saying, “that’s enough”, because of the increased price and beer being more difficult to drink when you’re already intoxicated.  Increase the price of alcohol and more people turn to drugs, which IS the main reason people start fights, most “drunk” people can’t talk, let alone throw a punch.  I watched sport all through my young age and never felt the need to drink a beer, but maybe thats just me, besides the fact that getting rid of alcohol sponsoring completely irresponsible, your coming across to me as a bit of a basket case arguing your point.  I think your letting your ego and feelings of self-importance get in the way of making this country a better place, I wish I’dnever put you as my second prefence in the federal election, I wanted someone with actual christian and family ideals, not a God delusion.  And your rejection of the $250 fee for University students is a disgrace, poor students need the help that Universities would provide, believe me as a Uni student, my university seems to be becoming a more bland and dead place which you want to avoid rather than hang around

allan says:

09:55pm | 27/08/09

Mr. Fielding - you lost ANY credibility when you got hold of Conroy’s vote catching ear to impose the FACIST Chinese style government internet censorship concept, under the guise of stopping kiddie porn.
It is flawed and will NOT stop any form of internet abuse, but what it will do is give more government control over the internet. 
So go SHOVE your opinions.

Marc says:

09:59pm | 27/08/09

Neither drugs nor alcohol are the problem. People going out and having a few drinks arent the problem. People who go out and get incredibly drunk ARE NOT the problem. The problem, is young men and women who go out specifically to start fights. It is part of an increasing culture, and whilst the penalities for going a few Kilometers an hour over the limit remain higher than the penalties for assult, It will continue. Come down harsher on the perpetrators, and the violence will stop. Like someone else already said, when they are facing a jail term for aggravated assult, they will think twice.

Mr Feilding, fight the real problem, with a solution that already exists. Tougher penalties for assulters, and real justice for assultees.

Harry says:

10:15pm | 27/08/09

I’m of the firm opinion that if you treat people like children, then that’s exactly how they act.  I’ve lived in Germany for the past 8 years - in Munich, which is the heart of beer drinking in possibly the world.  In under a month the biggest alcohol event in the world will start, 10 mins on foot from where I live.  I’ll be going there and I’ll still be living there without any concerns for my safety, whatsoever.  Yet if a similar event was to occur in Australia, then it would occur once, for one day and then be shut down because of violence.  And given how many tourists (including Australians) are at the Oktoberfest every year, and the fact that they are capable of behaving themselves (not all, but the vast majority) lends some credence to the argument that it’s not the people that are different, but the environment that causes them to act more responsibly.

I was honestly shocked by the liberal attitude to alcohol when I first arrived here.  It’s legal to drink pretty much anywhere (on any street, park, train, etc).  Alcohol - especially beer is sold pretty much everywhere, including the aforementioned trains and McDonalds.  It’s cheap (from around €0.30 for 0.5L, €6 for a bottle of spirits and you can get a good (Aussie!) wine for under €3).  Kids can buy beer and wine from age 16 and there never seem to be bouncers checking anyone for ID in bars.  Yet there seem to be very few problems.

I also used to own a bar in this city (an expat hang-out) and in the 2.5 years I had it, 4 punches were thrown.  I bet that most inner city pubs in Australia would be glad if it was “only” 4 punches on a single Saturday night, let alone in over 2 years.  I would never want to run a licensed premises in Australia for that reason alone.

So what’s the answer?  Well I’ve thought about it a lot and I really think that if the government makes a big deal about alcohol, then so will individuals.  The mindset is already there, so it won’t be without its problems - although watching how Aussies handle there alcohol in Europe (ie non-violently) gives me a lot of hope that you could still take that step.  It would be a radical one and unpopular with all sorts of groups, but let’s face it, more restrictions and greater “nannying” have not made the problems better - In fact they’ve probably become even worse.  Perhaps it’s time to start thinking out of the box a little more.  I truly believe that if you give people more responsibility for themselves, then they are more likely to stand up and act responsibly.  Treat them like idiots and that’s exactly how they’ll act.  It’s actually a reason that I haven’t moved back to Australia.  The German government doesn’t (yet) treat me like I’m an irresponsible idiot.

Jamie says:

10:22pm | 27/08/09

I agree taxation isn’t the answer. All it does is make someone drink more before they come out. Good call on not voting for the tax. Simple problem is associating the real issue - violence - with a consequence.  Right now the consequence in the mind of the belligerent drunk is “I throw a punch, I knock him out, I win”.  +1 For the belligerent drunk.  He gets away with it. +2. Earns a reputation of being the toughest, a la Underbelly, +3…

So the consequences need to be aversive for this sort of behaviour. That comes down to risk of being caught multiplied by consequences if you are caught.  Post the belligerent drunk’s name next to public hatred and condemnation, -1 the drunk.  Fine him $10,000. -2. Give him 180 days community service and 5 years probation like America’s Chris Brown. -3.

Let’s not lose sight of the fact that it’s the violence that’s the issue.  There’s a lot that consume alcohol (even copiously) that do not cause this sort of problem.  It’s like blaming “drivers” or “drinkers” for drink driving deaths. It’s the “drink drivers” who are the issue.  Hone the cure, you’ll get more effective results… and with the public all on side.

Harry says:

10:23pm | 27/08/09

Oh - and I’d like to point out that bars in Germany (well Munich at least) mostly have 23 hr licences (must be shut between 5 - 6am), and a liquor licence cost me all of €100 - as a one off payment.

And it’s not tougher penalties that keep people in line either - max gaol sentance for murder is 15 years.

Yet I feel safer in Munich, than I do in any city in Australia…

Billy Pilgrim says:

10:24pm | 27/08/09

‘If we lived in a society where there’s never been any alcohol, I don’t think a whole heap of people would suddenly take it on and go binging when it became available.’

Just like indigenous people of various countries when the white man introduced alcohol to them…oh wait. It is an addictive, psychoactive drug, we’re not going to help the cause by pretending it isn’t.

Stuart says:

10:24pm | 27/08/09

Sorry Steve.
You are sorely out of touch. Many bloggers above have raised the real concerns associated with the “out of control violence” fuelled by “binge drinking” you want to address.
Unfortunately drugs, either by themselves or combined with alcohol are a massive problem.For most people drinking 12 jager bombs in less than a few hours is not going to provide you with the dexterity to beat someone senseless, stab a bouncer or require four police members to apprehend you with capsicum spray. You are more likely to make an idiot out of yourself.
Combine 6 jager bombs, a shot of ice or “bad” speed with an aggressive state of mind and you’re ready and willing to take on the world. Steve, take the time to have a stroll through our hospital casualty wards after 4am on a weekend to see for yourself.
Excessive drinking on it’s own, in bars, clubs or any licensed venue has and will be an issue for our community. Is it, or can it be policed properly?
Not while licensed venues profit from their patrons excessive consumption of alcohol!
What ever happened to the: “Responsible service of alcohol?”
I remember being trained in the “Responsible service of alcohol” 10 years ago and being warned that I could face civil & or criminal charges if I served a patron who was inoxicated! What a load of marlaky that was and still is!
Steve, excessive drinking is not a new phenomena. Neither is sports advertising. I would suggest that you take the time to get off your backside and mingle within your own electorate to gain a greater appreciation of the totality of the issue.

Justin says:

10:30pm | 27/08/09

A lot of the solutions posted here are either insulting the author, or suggesting a greater control on what people can do with their alcohol consumption.

Please keep in mind, that controlling some form of alcohol will affect the whole industry, and won’t necessarily change the intentions of the users. I am an avid microbrewery fan, and enjoy tasting beers from all across the world, and within our country as well. Adding taxes will affect people like me, who choose to drink in moderation, and adding time frames will only serve to disparage consumers further from supporting a quality local industry.

On the flip side, I am also a young man who chooses to go to nightclubs/bars late at night, not just to drink, but to socialise with friends. From my experience, the reason alcohol fuelled violence is occurring is 1. Lack of education and; 2. Lack of effective bar staff.

1. Lack of Education - should probably be called Lack of Effective Education, is a result of the culture of Australians who love a beer/wine/spirit. As this is engrained in our culture, it impacts on the messages being received by young people today. For example: in Year 9 we had one class (only one, in so many years of schooling) in which we were to measure one standard drink of alcohol, and see how it looked in different glasses. Whilst it was good to see that one standard drink of wine isn’t half a glass (rather, less than a quarter), it didn’t seem to affect the drinking habits of the students in later years. Perhaps due to the fact, having one standard drink is in some circles ‘soft’. (An issue of peer pressure, perhaps to be discussed another time).

2. Effective bar staff are the ones who say to a patron ‘no’. In my 4 years of extensive bar and club attendance, not once was I refused a drink, and not once have I been kicked out for being drunk. (Though I can assure you it has been the case that I have been in such a position). This happens far too often to other patrons to be declared a once off. This point could also be regarded under point 1.

Obviously these are but two examples, but hopefully my experience in ‘the game’ is helpful.

Good luck Steve!

Andrew says:

10:30pm | 27/08/09

I love a good drink, it’s part of my christian values: blood of christ, uncles passing out on the couch at christmas, yaddah yaddah yaddah…

I can see a simple solution that is probably more liberal than most of the stuff family first advocates: it’s called Shariah law.

Karl says:

10:50pm | 27/08/09

It’s a very thin line to walk between giving people the freedom they’re used to and trying to get people to curb the violence. I don’t care what anyone else says but it is an issue and I know because I do go out on a regular basis in Brisbane and see it every time (I recently had to give 3 Police statements for bashings on 2 consecutive nights out!).
More easily accessible transport options (doesn’t matter if free or not) out of the club areas.The lines are rediculous and people get into fights in them as they’re drunk, tired and want to go home and all it takes is someone to bump into them and they’re fighting.
If the price of alcohol is increased it needs to be done for all types as you’re only shifting what people are going to drink. Personally I don’t think it will work but if you’re going to do it then make sure it’s not just changing the popular drink to something else. And, anyway the majority of people who drink pre-mixed drinks are in clubs so the underage drinking issue is really mostly to do with straight spirits!
Education on alcohol for youth and not just by their teacher or a speaker but from their parents. We need to stop glorifying getting drunk not only in the media and with our peers (who obviously know nothing as they’re 15!) but also in the family home. My parents encouraged me to try alcohol but to be sensible as it’s a dangerous substance. This was done in the safety of my own home before I started to drink with my friends.
We need to stop drink promotions and possibly limit the amount of alcohol that people can buy at one time at liquor stores (if they don’t have the alcohol they have to go out of their way to get more). As well as making clubs say no to people who’ve had too much and not just put signs up to go through the motions.

Amanda says:

10:51pm | 27/08/09

I have been in Europe for 2 months and not once have i see any fights or stupid behaviour from anyone. Heres the thing, first of all drink prices need to go down, i know it sounds strange but because it is so easily accessible here and so cheap people just tend to not drink it as much. The next thing is that we need to try and introduce more late night lounges and`English style pubs and bars. They are smaller, cosier and draw people to sitting there and having two or three drinks in a night with some good conversation and music. The next thing is taking these stupid bans off entrance and exit times. The things that you need too realise is that people decide.. ok we need to go out at at 10 because we will get kicked out at 2-3am, now because alcohol is so expensive lets pre drink half a bottle of vodka before we go in. People here don’t go out till midnight and stay out till 4-6am and everyone is just so happy and chilled out because they don’t feel any kind of rush to get as pissed as they can. I have a million and one things to say about this topic, i seriously think there is a lot we can learn from the Europeans. if you would like a chat you now have my email. At the end of the day, the more restrictions you put on people the more things get out of hand… and this is all coming from someone who is 21, i know all of this because i see it every weekend and lots of week nights in Australia.

Dave of Malvern says:

11:00pm | 27/08/09

Our nation is changing, we are a multicultural country now and with that comes its own challenges not the least being the gang mentailiy. Alcohol is the scape goat and labelling and taxes the knee jurk reaction. Educate and have innovative punishments for the minoritory who are ruining it for those of us who act responsible.Come on pollies stand up and actually try and fix this with out sending us the bill!

JN says:

11:29pm | 27/08/09

We are a nation that enjoys a alcoholic beverage or two. Politician thinks that by raising taxes to make it more expensive to deter people from purchasing but the problem is that they will find a way to obtain the alcohol. You should be looking at the places and people that sell it to them. Responsible Serving of Alcohol is required by all bartenders but how often do see them continue to sell alcohol to an intoxicated person, its all about profits. Why not be more tougher on penalties to premises and people that sell the alcohol.

Sam says:

11:30pm | 27/08/09

“It’s no wonder people are getting beaten up around nightspots where there is the dangerous cocktail of 12 jager bombs and testosterone mixed together. “

You are jumping to the conclusion that drinking too much makes you a thug.  I’ve had 8 jaeger bombs in the course of a long night and OMG - NOBODY GOT BEATEN UP.  Some people are just idiots when they are sober and even bigger idiots after they’ve been drinking but please don’t tar all of us with the same brush.

2am lockouts are a bad idea, because all of a sudden you have a large number of people on the streets at the same time and not enough taxis or public transport available to disperse them.  If anything, that increases people’s levels of frustration and is more likely to cause violence.

As for imposing tighter controls on alcohol advertising, particularly in relation to sporting events…um, nobody starts drinking or binge drinks because of watching sport.  They drink because they see their parents drinking, or their friends drinking.  The sponsorship of sport by these companies trickles down to the junior levels, all you will do is rob junior sport of money.

V says:

11:54pm | 27/08/09

Steve,

Let’s look at the big picture, no directions from government are going to solve this issue period. Prohibition never works. The government needs to be more focused on the society-wide incentives that result in people wanting/needing to drink to excess.

Increasing the tax on an item with reasonably inelastic demand isn’t solving the issue, it merely moves people on the margin into trying other (cheaper) substances and thus a larger drug problem will emerge.

We could start by ensuring alcohol related offences where harm is caused to others/and property is seriously dealt with by the justice system.

Also people need to take responsibility for their personal healthcare. If you stuff your own liver through drinking, why should the taxpayer pick up the tab for your operation to get a new one, same goes for alcohol related A&E visits. 

I agree that some of the problem is cultural, Australia, NZ, Ireland, UK and US are all similar in this regard. There is a mentality where ‘everyone else
is doing it so I need to as well’, which is most difficult to eliminate especially in teenage years. Where were these ideas established, you only need to look at the older generations to answer that one.

Lastly, most people use alcohol responsibly to ‘unwind’, which is perfectly acceptable, the problems arise when people begin using it to escape reality. Thus we need to address why this happens.
The wider issue here is that many in society are struggling day-day with work, living expenses etc, yet alcohol is always something they will still purchase.

Perhaps if the government stopped stealing our money via a pro inflationary monetary policy these stresses would over time decrease as the purchasing power of money would increase and make everyone better off.
I couldn’t believe it in 2008 when inflation was running at 5% and no one acted as if this was a problem. Even at 2% inflation we are looking at a halving of the purchasing power of money roughly every 35 years and people wonder why we all need both partners to work 60 hour weeks these days to get by. Wage increases in line with inflation will become more difficult to sustain when the deflationary wage pressures emerging from Asia are considered. That’s enough to drive anyone to drink ...

Gibbot says:

12:34am | 28/08/09

Senator Fielding - when will you get it through your skull that you do not represent the will of the Australian people? You represent the less than two percent of your electorate that actually voted for you - which is probably around twelve family members and an additional four or five that were so drunk they put their ‘1’ in the wrong box.

That you can bear to show your face after the way you humiliated yourself on climate change is testimony to how oblivious you are to reality. I mean seriously, how you could base your opposition to the (elected) Government’s ETS proposal on your utter failure to comprehend your very own graph will go down in history as one of the greatest political stupidities of our time. You almost make Pauline Hanson appear rational in comparison.

Yet here you are, undeterred and unabashed, tilting at a brand new windmill. Once again your glaring incomprehension of the nature and will of the people you claim to represent is all encompassing. We will not be dictated to on the matters of alcohol and sport - certainly not by some card carrying religious crackpot with delusions of adequacy.

We are just coming out of what could well have been the worst recession in most of our lifetimes with no certainty that the worst is behind us. We have lost good people to natural tragedies and senseless wars. We’ve had our faith in our fellow countrymen eroded through the cunning use of fridge magnets and disinformation. We have endured, and will continue to endure. Try messing with our sport and our freedom to determine our own pleasures and see how quickly we’ll help you emulate your savior.

You’re punching well above your weight, Senator Fielding. I strongly recommend you stick within your capabilities and concern yourself with helping out at CWA cake sales. Leave the real politics for rational adults.

Nicole says:

01:08am | 28/08/09

Senator, congratulations for opening up the floor to debate. 

Amanda 21 is spot on and Dave, I hear you re the bill.  As an Australian educated at university in Australia but now living and working overseas (in the UK, with frequent travel to Europe and the US) I am concerned that our prohibitive attitude towards alcohol and over-regulation of “having a good time” has a lot to do with the rampant abuse encountered when young Australians are finally let loose into bars. 

In none of my travels have I witnessed a scene similar to what goes in any given CBD in any capital Australian city on a Saturday night and I have never encountered a State imposed lock-out (a trip home in March was confronting and provided a good comparison).  The European approach to responsible consumption is that it is inherent and taught from an early age, the North American incidences of alcohol related violence in the streets appears to be less of an epidemic than in Australia.  Even after travelling to eastern-European nations that are recovering from recent war, the “drunken yob” is markedly absent from the party strip.  In most of these places, alcohol can be purchased from the supermarket and is rarely consumed in excess.  (Britain is a different story, and draws an interesting parallel with Australia a debate for another time… West Ham, anyone?). 

I’m not suggested the answer lies in allowing children to buy alcohol and raising the entry limit in clubs to 21; it is my view that the federal government should:

-  plan a campaign that encourages and promotes education about alcohol from a young age (not through scare campaigns, but supervised tastings in the home and constructive discussion about responsible enjoyment);
-  encourage harsher penalties on those who commit alcohol related offences (which would attempt to dissuade some of the hero culture that seems to have developed around those who drink the most, stay out the longest and are the most “hardcore” – though this will be a tough nut to crack, I concede);
-  and most importantly, fund studies into understanding the rationale behind binge drinking (by, for example, focusing on the 18-25 yo age group to discuss what the motivation to “get wasted” is - to unwind and escape the daily grind?  Does it have to do with peer pressure and fitting in?  Or is it linked to depression?). 

More rules and more tax won’t clean up Oxford Street, Chapel Street and Brunswick Street, young people have to decide how they behave when out. 

In educating ourselves and the law makes about the cause of alcohol abuse in young people, all of us can then treat its symptoms.

D-bro says:

01:19am | 28/08/09

Steve, you wizard-worshipping fool,

I feel the solution to this problem does not lie in nanny-state style of controlling comsumption or advertising. There are but a few things government can relax to improve things:

1. Lockouts - they’re a failure. Abolish them.
2. Remove all alcoholic tariffs on imported beers, wines and spirits. This could lead to lesser consumption of the so-called alcopops filling the streets, due to the differences in purchasing price.
3. Legalise marijuana. Offer an alternative. Stoned people don’t fight!

Things to implement:

1. All plastic cups throughout establishments serving alcohol
2. Redirect extra taxes on alcohol into junior sport development to reduce reliance on alcohol money (maybe when the fat tax comes around, you could redirect that cashflow too?)
3. Tax the ass out of legalised marijuana.

Grant says:

01:43am | 28/08/09

Nicole,

Please provide a link to your evidence that North America has incidences of alcohol related violence that ‘appears’ to be less than Australia?

Which European nations are recovering from a recent war?  Surely you don’t mean mean WW2? 

Can we get Penfolds to sponsor your supervised tastings in the home and have some constructive discussion about responsible enjoyment and the oak barrel flavour?

YMC says:

01:55am | 28/08/09

Wow, yet another tax. So another tax is going to protect us? Why does the law seek to punish the community for the excesses of a few thugs? Here’s an idea-  PUNISH SEVERELY the people who commit crimes with tougher and longer sentences and PROTECT the community. But it seems our legal system has got it the wrong way.

Chase Stevens says:

02:34am | 28/08/09

Alright: Have the pubs close at a certain time, this extends to nightclubs.
Give the youth something else to spend their money on, make it easier for them to get a job as well.

and that’s all I’ve got.

Tim says:

08:53am | 28/08/09

Here’s an idea. Wait a week or so and read the Preventative Health Taskforce report. You knew that was coming out, right?
But we all know that Fielding has an aversion to experts (climate change). He’d much rather get his policy from a bunch of randoms on a website, apparently.

Mark from The Gold Coast says:

08:54am | 28/08/09

A good starting point would be to make the user pay. I don’t mean tax alcohol, that just gives government more money to spend elsewhere.

Here’s how it could work:
1. Set up a central alcohol retailer organisation where all sources of alcohol are represented.
2. Send the bill for all alcohol related incidents to this organisation. When I say all, I mean all absolutely incidents. Medical bills, hospital costs, insurance costs, police costs, repair bills, all costs attributable to alcohol abuse. Once the bills are all added up correctly, we should reach about $16billion (was that per year?) if estimates are right.
3. The alcohol retailer organisation simply distributes the costs according to the amount of alcohol each retailer sells & the retailers raise their prices to cover the cost.

This is a really simple model that would relieve the government of the worry. It would relieve the taxpayer of the cost and ajust the cost of alcohol to reflect its actual cost to the community rather than just its manufacturing & distribution cost.

While we’re at it, let’s do the same thing with Tobacco.

I don’t know if this will stop alcohol fueled violence but at least it would pay for it. And you can bet that all the responsible alcohol drinkers will put in a bit more effort to rein in the yobbos who are pushing up the price.

Just so you know where I’m coming from: I don’t drink but I have 5 male children who do to varying degrees. Only one of my children is a regular binge drinker & a few weeks ago he nearly got killed in an alcohol fuelled fight that he claims he didn’t start. Most weekends we dread the late night phone call announcing the next stupid incident he has gotten into. Alcohol has already taken his full disposable income for several years. At this stage we don’t really care how much the next drink costs as long as he eventually “gets the hint” before something permanently bad happens.

To those who say binge drinking is OK as long as there is no violence, what about the accidents, and brain damage, and liver damage & kidney damage and all the rest? What about that?

Jo says:

09:37am | 28/08/09

I think a bigger danger that can easily be fixed is the crazy amount of Gambling Advertising and promotion by the commentators every time you watch a game of Rugby League. Why is noone stopping or complaining about this? Seems just as much if not more of a danger than drinking for some families.

sevencats says:

11:25am | 28/08/09

This is just a rant and my opinion, written completely from my point of view and means nothing.
If people want to people want to pickle themselves that is fine, so long as they don’t hurt anyone else. It’s called a free country for a reason.
Now I drink and very occasionally have a booze-up with mates. Stop thinking about how to stop people drinking and ask why they are drinking in the first place.

It’s fun. And about the last social fun thing left to do in our great country.

Australia is run by the fun police, powered by vocal minority groups which politicians listen to far too much. Many things that people would consider doing with friends are illegal, unbelievably expensive or so bound up in red tape, licences and restrictions you might as well not bother. Here’s a case in point: this week fireworks were finally banned in the ACT this week. Very much a fun thing to do once a year. What’s the bet that this night is going to become yet another booze-up night for people celebrating?

Other than your average late 20’s working Australian, I’m a social geek. I’m also a raver.
I’m quite content to sit at my table painting miniatures for a few hours some nights or sit in front of my computer wiping out undead. I’ll then take those miniatures to my local gaming club and we’ll scream “WAAAGH!” in each others face until the wee hours of the morning or me and my clan/guild will go on a massive frag-fest/dungeon run.
There’s usually alcohol involved too. Not too much, we couldn’t play then.
I won’t speak about the rave nights, but they’re not as common.
It’s a fun thing to do.
At least it will be at least until some screaming minority group finds an evil in it and get the fun banned.

Almost all sources of fun are restricted. Those in power are even looking at ways to limit loud music on personal players. WTF!

Of course this is all my opinion – I could be wrong.

tl; dr – Everything fun is banned. All we have left is overpriced alcohol. And god damn I’m gonna drink it cuz it make me cool!

Stevo says:

11:50am | 28/08/09

More questions need to be asked about how much of an influence a religious member of Parliament should have. separation of church and state exists. Now is the time to Ban any and all religiously backed parties and remove/publicly declare all funding by religious organisations.

PS I’m half italian, where kids learn to drink watered down vino at an early age as it’s healthier than orange juice with all the sugar. I’ll be teaching my kids how to drink responsibly and not like a bogan goose. I’ll teach them,.. NOT THE STATE- FIELDING YOU HYPOCRITICAL FUNDY!!
CHURCH AND STATE - MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE!

judbak says:

12:29pm | 28/08/09

I expect to get a few bites back about this but try changing the way alcohol is being sold.
Have all alcohol outlets and pubs linked up to a central database and require every buyer to swipe their medicare card or similar prior to purchase, and limiting the amount of alcohol that each buyer can purchase.
This would also help prevent or at least reduce the amount of alcohol available to kids as well.
People could still buy alcohol in bulk for a party but they would have to register for a license (per person limits to still apply) and be held accountable for the behavior of all guests.

MacArthur says:

01:26pm | 28/08/09

The reason why there is so much booze-fuelled violence, is not because we like to drink, but becausewe are a violent and war-like people.  The government needs to declare war on other nations so we can enjoy trampling our enemies.

Ben says:

01:31pm | 28/08/09

Patrick Bateman it’s fantastic that you put down your chainsaw and stopped comparing paper stock long enough to comment - because you speak for many of us!
It’s frankly absurd to contend that there is not a problem with alcohol fuelled violence - it is new. I don’t recall gangs of young men running around Melborune’s CBD randomly beating people up week in and week out.
But Senator it’s not a simple problem as you should well know:
1. part of bringing up children is surely giving them the ability to understand how to cope with issues such as alcohol without letting it become a problem. Which is why many of us sipped beer once or twice with our parents permission and mostly didnt touch it again until we were adults because it tasted yuk or so we thought then.
2. It seems that alcohol and the drug ice are very much behind some of the worst violence because unlike other illegal drugs it both makes the addict off their head but fuels their activitity.
3. We have to face politically incorrect and socially unpalatable realities that in Melbourne for instance most of the young people perpetuating violence in the CBD come from what would have once been called working class suburbs without infrastructure, facitilities, much of a civic culture, generations of good parental role models etc.
4. Prohibion never, ever, ever, ever works and you can’t continually ban and perniciously tax things indefinitely.

Steve of Cornubia says:

03:42pm | 28/08/09

I don’t believe that alcohol is the cause of the problem, but a SYMPTOM of a much larger problem. The main problem IMO, is a slow and gradual breakdown in society values and with it, increases in anti-social behavior on the part of many people, not just the young. Quite why society is heading this way I can’t really say, though I reckon lax attitudes towards discipline in schools, a police force that is far too busy collecting taxes from motorists to bother about real crime, successive governments that adopt liberal (i.e. politically correct) positions re low-level crime, etc - all these and more over decades has brought us to this position. Added to this we see tolerance of behaviours that would, when I was a lad, have brought about a good slap from the nearest adult (now of course illegal - can’t have young hooligans getting upset) or even a spell in juvenile detention.

I wouldn’t advocate capital/extreme punishment ad hoc, but I think the lack of consequences inevitably leads to spiralling crime.

What I DO believe though, is that a move toward zero tolerance is probably the only thing that might work. Many studies have shown that stopping bad behaviour and crime at the lowest level/earliest stage can significantly reduce crime at EVERY level.

Look around you. Can you see the growing popularity of ‘secure’ housing developments? These gated communities are, in most cases, the only way many people (especially the aged) can feel safe these days.

Shinsengumi says:

04:25pm | 28/08/09

hey…  wait…  so… let me get this straight *puzzled look* 
Alcohol Adverts on TV = binge drinking, violence, social chaos
Alcohol Sport Sponsorship = binge drinking, violence, social chaos
Computer Games = All Evils, violence, social chaos
yet…
American Music Industry (Gangsta Rap; Whores err, I mean Pop Starlets) = peaceful, well-adjusted healthy kids
Excessive Violence glorified on TV = peaceful, well-adjusted healthy kids
Crazy Violence in Movies = peaceful, well-adjusted healthy kids

This magical alcohol advertising has supernatural powers that all other forms of violent, gratuitously sick entertainment do not?  Well!  I can CLEARLY see that getting rid of alcohol advertising will cure all society’s ills!

Kristian says:

04:44pm | 28/08/09

sevencats:  damn right!  Everything else that’s fun is too expensive!  Like, oh let me see - racing my car.  Nope - can’t do that!  Last time I went to Eastern Creek and dragged it, it took me 3.5 hours to do ONE RUN (it’s not a fast car just a fun one) and I had to wear a helmet, pay waaaaaay too much money, yada yada and THEN…  undercover COPS had scoped out my CAR while it was waiting to do a drag (my time was 15.7 seconds down the quarter.  Not fast) and they were waiting out the front gate FOR ME TO LEAVE with a PRE-WRITTEN list of defects!!!  I tried racing my motorbike; the track was booked out for at least a month, and it cost $400 for a few 10 minute sessions.  I tried taking mates boat - tinny - out for some fishing, I GOT FINED FOR FISHING and he got done for SPEEDING on the water!  Same with the Jetski.  I want to do BMX stunting - can’t do that, it’s illegal on the streets.  I gotta travel 40 mins for the nearest legal place to do that. Skateboarding?  No facilities!  Rollerblading?  Pulled over by cops and FINED for rollerblading down some stairs!  A nice game of cricket…  where again?  Sorry - no ovals near me.  Surfing?  Bodyboarding?  Oh that’s an hour and a half on public transport - or nazi parking officers fining the crap out of me if I drive!  So, what IS THERE to do besides drink?  Play computer games?  Oh, they’re evil - computers have the Devil in them *emphatic nod*  I can’t play drums, cops get called.  Can’t play my guitar - cops called.  Umm, can’t even play PIANO for long - cops called.  Music loud?  Nope - cops.  Can’t smoke a joint - illegal.  E?  Illegal.  So, please tell me again, what else is there to do besides drink?  No, please tell me - I REALLY WANT TO KNOW.  I’d love to do something fun, energetic, and recreational but it’s all either illegal, red taped, or prohibitively expensive.  Drinking is the recourse of the working classes, as it’s the cheapest, most fun, and best use of my leisure time that’s realistically available to me.  Until that changes, I’ll be drinking like a pirate!  Arr!

Terry Wright says:

07:08pm | 28/08/09

Stop blaming drugs like ice/methamphetamines/speed etc. Most of what has been reported is just not true. Speed has been around in Australia for decades and was dubbed the poor man’s cocaine. Whilst the US were suddenly discovering “meth” and an excited MSM started on a new epidemic (after the myths of crack-cocaine were exposed), Australia had already peeked and ice use was dropping. By the time Howard and co. caught on and claimed we were in the middle of the “ice epidemic” and we must get extra “Tough on Drugs”, it was already over.

Nearly every case of substance induced violence (not including robberies) involves alcohol. It’s much less for illicit drugs alone. Factor in those who are naturally violent or suffering from sleep derivation and that leaves very little room for methamphetamines itself. The point being is that alcohol is by far the most violent drug on the planet. 1 in 4 Australians have reported being verbally abused or put in fear of someone under the influence of alcohol. 47% of all Australian homicides were alcohol related and 80% of homicides occurring at recreational venues involved alcohol.

The effects of speed has always been misunderstood by non users. It isn’t some sort of rocket charge that makes you physically active and left wanting to run a marathon. It instead makes you focus more, talk more and want to make friends. Speed is basically a love drug and meth is just a stronger form of speed. The violence comes from being able to consume gallons of booze and remain awake for days. The reports of psychotic ice users smashing up hospitals was greatly exaggerated and since then, ice/meth has gained a reputation for being violent and giving users super human strength. Anyone remember PCP?

Methamphetamines can be dangerous and like all drugs, when abused, can cause serious mental health problems. But keep in mind that out of the 5.1% of Australian drug users who had a psychological or physical substance disorder, alcohol was responsible for 3 times the rate of stimulants like methamphetamines.

I’m not anti-alcohol. Alcohol was always my favourite drug and I have to admit, it has been responsible for some of the best times I ever had. I do not support knee jerk restrictions that ruin our well earned fun but violence creeps me outs more than any other crime. There is nothing worse than some drunken moron screwing up a great night out. Maybe we need to shift police resources away from busting recreational drug users or other time wasting duties and put both uniformed and under cover cops into night clubs and bars. If someone gets aggressive, drag them out, arrest them and lock them up for the night. I’m sure a few months of this will make a lot of hot heads reconsider starting a fight.

John L says:

11:40am | 30/08/09

Hang in there Steve - the influence of Alcohol and the promotion of are linked, otherwise why would the companies use the mediam. It is simple really, difficult as it may seem, just cancel all media promotion and sponsorship for alcohol as we have for tobacco, people who must still smoke, but probably with a conscious, people will still drink probably with a lot more responsibility than they do now. Why do we need alcohol with sport any how, isn’t the sport good enough of an attraction without people having to be ‘half tanked’ Like others I am not a wowser but I sure dont need the quantities of alcohol other seem to consume to get a kick out of life.

watto says:

10:18am | 05/09/09

Yes you are part of the new Howard breed wanting a nanny state - your policy on censorship proves this. This nanny state brigade includes other authoritarian conservatives like Senator Conroy, Premier Mike Rann and even Rudd. The thing that amazes me, is hundreds of thousands of women and children in Australia are repeatedly terrorised by drunken domestic behaviour. A level of terror that Al Quaida or the hysteria loving Mike Rann would love. Maybe it’s just time to stop focussing on old approaches and other tired wars and try something completely new that involves the community rather than making up issues and making citizens into the enemy? Many Australians, like me, are sceptical and sick of you guys banging on about fear based issues, funding dumb horror ads and trying to manipulate us for your own ends. Grow up and be a statesman Steve.

Harry says:

04:29am | 09/09/09

Mr Fielding,

I was one of those people who commented and said that I thought that Australia is turning into a nanny state.  I think that you’re selling Australians short by suggesting that there is something inherently in our culture that means we are unable to handle our alcohol responsibly.

As I stated in my reply last week, I owned a pub in Munich for 2 and a half years.  It was a place which was quite a popular hang-out for English speaking expats and I would estimate that the customer split was somewhere in the region of 80% expats and 20% Germans.  The vast majority were from Britain, Australia, Ireland, The US with the odd Kiwi and South African.  Young people from all these countries get a bad rap as far as violence and alcohol goes.  Yet in the entire time I had this place, 4 punches were thrown (none by Aussies).  I had no security personnel, had a 23 hour Licence (couldn’t serve between 5-6am) - so stayed open until people stopped drinking, and served pretty cheap drinks (often even giving some away).  There are no “responsible serving of alcohol” laws here and my general policy was to serve people as long as they were capable of ordering and paying.  The Aussie Rules Grand Final is normally played in the middle weekend of the Oktoberfest and we had it on 3 times.  Each time, we advertised at the campsite and were packed to the rafters with Aussie travellers.  We did functions for Australia Day and Anzac Day and the place was regularly full of Aussies and not once did it even look like trouble was going to kick off.

So I ask you - how is it that young Australians overseas that are in a bar full of other Australians that’s also owned by Australians (so has a very Aussie feel to it) behave themselves so well there, if alcohol related violence is supposedly in our culture? 

Successive governments have tried the route of higher prices, less availability and generally more restrictions.  I find it somewhat annoying (though not altogether surprising), that you seem to quickly discount any suggestions of liberalisation in favour of looking at what further restrictions might work.

But have they worked?  Obviously not, and it’s just getting worse, so why not try a different approach now? 

If you want a good example of where less regulation is actually better, why don’t you find yourself statistics of how many Americans smoke pot (where it’s highly illegal), compared to the Dutch (where usage and sale up to 30g is tolerated).  It might surprise you…

Dan McFarlane says:

01:51pm | 22/09/09

Good on ya Steve
Its all too easy for people to slam the booze industry, to slam people who sell the product, but there are real issues here.
Why, like you stated, is it a status symbol in this country to get sloshed?
It would seem that the youth have been lead astray, and those of us in the hospitality industry are copping the blame.
Its nice to see a polly bring up the real issues. I may not agree with all of your politics, but thank you for being honest in an age when spin and posture means everything.
The government needs more pollies like you, people who say what they believe.

Tim Cross says:

02:06pm | 22/09/09

To Gregory Hatten, if the preferential voting system was not in place it is not just the “hard right” with 2% of the vote that wouldn’t get in, the Labor party would put up a very poor showing without the green preferences. Hang on a minute you might be on to something here!

Annoyed says:

06:04pm | 22/09/09

People are always going to do the wrong thing, that’s the bottom line. I know Sydney and lots of rural towns have 2am and earlier lockouts and it doesn’t fix a thing. People fight, that’s the tall and short of it.

Yes, deglamourising alcohol may be part of the answer but the fact is people still drink, so where do you draw the line? Should we head down the same path as smoking, people treat you like a leper for enjoying a beer? Or is time ripe for another crack at prohibition? The government won’t ever allow there to be no alcohol or even a limit in sales due to the amount of money they tax from it.

You should seriously consider and research your articles better, how you got a job reporting is beyond me. I wouldn’t even be able to submit this as an assignment at uni.

Jason says:

11:09pm | 22/09/09

Steve - I have applauded a number of your recent moves, including your position on global warming, even if you used the wrong data to prove your point (try the ice-core data doofus - it can’t be argued).  But when it comes to alcohol, you are trying to change human nature, punishing the innocent and pushing a line which the Australian people will never accept.  The nation has been one of drinkers since it’s inception, the violence on our city streets pales by comparison to the rum fueled fights that have occurred a hundred years ago.  Represent us, protect us from unfair taxes, but don’t take our alcohol, it’s the only thing stopping us from marching on canberra and taking back our nation from you idiots.

Jason says:

02:20am | 23/09/09

Steve,

Thanks for asking.  Howard never did, and Rudd never will.  And you’re right with climate change even if you used the wrong data for your argument.

Simple, useful suggestions : Government run amusement parks in every city with free admission and cheap rides, legitimate, fun and ENGAGING activities for young people, better facilities in “working class” suburbs, Community centres should actively recruit youth to get involved in projects, more money into developing an interest in fitness and sports for young kids AND young adults, legalise and tax cannabis and MDMA for over 18s (friendly laid back lovey drugs inhibit violence while satisfying people) while cracking down on drugs which work with alcohol to produce violence.  Teach young men how to treat women with respect - thus getting them laid more often and curbing domestic violence.  God forbid, more nightclub licenses in the outer suburbs to remove the need for everyone to head to the city at once.  24 hour public transport in cities of more than 2 million people is not unreasonable to ask.  There are so many solutions, but they all require that you be open minded and accept the following…

1. People like to get intoxicated because it feels good and is FUN.  This is the same reason “drugs are bad mmkay” doesn’t work - people know they are being lied to.  It’s not a moral issue, it’s human nature and should be understood rather than inhibited.
2. Most people want to have fun, dance, socialise and get laid rather than fight - the fights often stem from lack of the above..
3. The people who get drunk and fight, probably fight when sober too.
4. This problem has developed over decades, has been caused by indifference and greed from your and my generation, and will not be fixed overnight or indeed in this decade.
5. I’m quite drunk right now, but rather than brawling, I’m trying to help you solve society’s problems..so while alcohol may make me ramble on, the casual link seems tenuous at best.

Shane says:

10:41am | 23/09/09

I have a solution!
Stop using the word ‘alcopop’!
I never heard this term until it was being spouted by politicians and the media. It’s always been premixes, ‘lolly-water’ or ‘chick-drinks.’ The word alcopop is example 72,491 of politicians being out of touch with the younger generation. Young people are generally going to ignore any advice if it’s clearly seen to be coming from an out-of-touch group engaged in a frankly sad attempt to sound in vogue.

More seriously though, alcohol fueled violence will continue until licensing laws are properly enforced. At bars every weekend in the city drunk guys approach the bar and are still served. Girls about to pass out still manage to get their friends to grab them a vodka sunrise. Enforce the laws, HEAVILY fine venues which continue to serve drunks, let the police conduct secret tests… and you will quickly see two things… #1 - Fewer bars and clubs (A good thing) and #2 - Fewer angry drunks on the street post midnight (A good thing)

Nick O says:

01:06pm | 24/09/09

Again a tiresome, bandaid solution that ‘appears’ you have a viable alternative to solving this problem.  Like the adds (and labels on cigarettes) young people will merely scoff at health labels on alchohol.  Rather the continued source of amusement and entertainment will derive from such an idea.

The issue at hand is that alcohol has always been so readily available, why in Europe where there are more young people, more alcohol and more reasons to get drunk is there less fighting?  The government is looking at blaming club venues and bar owners who merely encourage the normality of life, that is to enjoy the social aspect of having a good night out.  Emphasis on the good.  Alcohol is always and frustratingly the only aspect brumby and co will look at when examining violence.

Those who fight may be fuelled by alcohol, yet decisions (whilst admittedly hindered by alcohol) ultimately rests with the decision maker, who in contrast to the majority of young australians, gains pleasure or enjoyment out of said fighting and violence.  Much tougher penalties on those caught fighting will will create an element of doubt in those looking to fight, and it’s this element of doubt that could save a life.  Why do people want to get caught up in violence asides from the blaming of alcohol?  Explore this notion and you’ll get more of a solution.

Furthermore, the government needs to stop talking about it and do something, Stop blaming this person and that and listen to the majority of Australians, especially the young and resolve the issue.  Being the most under policed state in Australia in wake of such violence obviously states the need for a greater police presence which seems farcical considering the number of recruits waiting to graduate.  All this talk and no action, it’s tiresome, and ruining the state.

Ryan says:

10:24am | 28/04/11

If you have a good eye, it is easy to spot an image that’s been Photoshopped. Of course, the best image alterations can be nigh undetectable, which can pose problems if you absolutely must know if the picture is genuine. This is why you need to consult Photoshopped Image Killer , which is the equivalent of gun ballistics for pictures.

Annie392 says:

10:24am | 28/04/11

As image edit software becomes easier to use and harder to detect, the problem of tampering has spread far beyond such celebrity “corrections.” While fudged paparazzi moments do little more than embarrass editors, there are far more important C and sometimes illegal C fakes to catch. Many tools have been developped to expose these touchups, like Photoshopped Image Killer, which leverages internal statictial models of images to do such work.