Call for alcohol advertising re-think in Oz

Alcohol advertising and promotion is in need of further review, according to research commissioned by the Australian arm of The Salvation Army.

Following a survey on alcohol advertising, The Salvation Army is calling on the Australian government to re-think restrictions in the country

In light of Alcohol Awareness Week in Australia, the country’s Salvation Army charity enlisted Roy Morgan researchers to survey 1,001 people about their views on alcohol advertising.

The research found that of those surveyed, 70.3 % believed the amount of alcohol advertising and promotion young people under 25 see these days encourages them to drink more, 72.9% said alcohol and sport have become too closely related in Australia today, and 72.1% disagreed that the alcohol industry should be allowed to continue to regulate itself with regard to the advertising and promotion of alcohol.

Gerard Byrne, of the Australian Salvation Army, said: “Every day we can see the extensive damage that alcohol often causes to individuals and families. We want to see Australians empowered to make smart choices about alcohol use. We are deeply concerned that the high level of alcohol promotion and advertising has a negative impact on those choices.”

“Australia is a sporting nation. We see this every weekend when thousands of young Australians take part in sporting activities across many codes. The Salvation Army is calling for a re-think about where alcohol fits into this culture.”

The Australian government has long been fighting the country’s pervasive binge drinking culture, such as through the now-defunct “alcopop tax”.

“There are no magic bullets,” added Professor Mike Daube, of Curtin University. “We cannot just turn this culture around overnight.

“We are alarmed at this growing culture of drinking, just to get drunk. It’s in kids. It’s in adults. Many young people are now exposed unquestionably to multiple forms of alcohol marketing on a constant basis.”

The Salvation Army is now lobbying the Australian government to review the impact of alcohol advertising on children and young people and “put in place more effective measures to reduce the harm being caused”.

This news follows the recent ban on all alcohol advertising in Turkey, and the controversial proposal to do the same in South Africa.