Calls for alcohol levy to fund family violence help

Governments across Australia are being urged to impose an alcohol levy to pay for the cost of responding to alcohol-related family violence and reduce levels of consumption and harm.

The Australian government has been asked to impose an alcohol levy to fund the cost of family violence on the community

The Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE), launched by domestic violence campaigner Rosie Batty, has launched a new national plan in an effort to eradicate alcohol-related family violence.

The plan criticises Australian governments for “not adequately” acknowledging the role alcohol plays in family violence, arguing governments have “failed” to impose strategies to tackle the issue.

According to FARE, alcohol is a factor in up to 65% of family violence incidents reported to police and up to 47% of child abuse cases in Australia.

“Alcohol’s involvement in family violence is undeniable,” said Michael Thorn, FARE chief executive. “Australian governments must acknowledge the vast research and the irrefutable evidence that clearly links the availability of alcohol with family violence and act accordingly.”

Launched in Parliament House in Canberra today, the National framework for action to prevent alcohol-related family violence, proposes 20 action areas to reduce and prevent family violence.

The aim is to prevent alcohol-related family violence nationwide, by recognising the link between alcohol availability and alcohol-related violence and as such reducing the availability of alcohol through methods such as imposing stricter controls on liquor licence approval processes.

Other policies include restrictions on trading hours, licensing freeze or buybacks in areas “saturated” with alcohol licences and a total ban on 24-hour alcohol stores.

The framework also suggests “innovative programmes” for perpetrators of family violence that work specifically to change their behaviours, including a court-based sobriety programme.

“For too long now governments haven’t given enough attention to preventing family violence,” said Thorn. “Getting serious about prevention is about saying as a nation that we are no longer going to accept the inevitability of these atrocities; that we’re going to take determined steps to stop family violence before it happens.

“That’s the first step. But the next step, if governments are sincere, is to recognise the elephant in the room; to acknowledge the role of alcohol and to embrace evidence-based solutions to address it.”