We had quite a few responses to the article about Jimmy Barnes and his foray into the world of alcohol advertising – here are a couple of them for you.  Interestingly, a copy of the National Liquor News made its way onto my desk and voila!  Wild Turkey is the ‘official tour partner’ for Cold Chisel’s tour.  I guess that answers everything!

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“Mr Barnes made some interesting comments about the Turkey advert on his twitter account:
Barnes: "I don't drink but the Wild Turkey ad was fun."

and then in response to a question of: "@JimmyBarnes please don't take offense...did you question the ethics of doing the commercial...considering you don't drink?"

Barnes: "@churchoss not really, it's part of our culture and people have a choice ."

On the plus side the advertisement itself seems at least reasonably 'laid back', definitely focusing on social/casual consumption... but I'd have to say that actually putting a bottle in Barnes' hand seems a giant cop out.

Someone seems to have missed a golden opportunity to piggyback a responsibility message onto that campaign by simply allowing the non-drinker to sport a glass of water (or similar) in that final shot.

He's already lent plenty of goodwill/credibility etc to their brand by 'reacting favourably' and 'joining them for a chat' without any need to actually go down the whole peer-pressure drinking path the advertisement instead turns to.”

Jeff

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“As some one who is in early recovery, works in the AOD sector with youth and also an admire of anyone who changes their life to get clean and sober I am and was bemused, confused, socked and some what disappointed when I saw the Ad with Jimmy Barnes?

This sends a confusing message to the community - has Jimmy fallen off the wagon? and if not why would he be party to this product? Money? what a shame. I work with young teens suffering with addictions they look up to me as a professional and also because I am in recovery. I am a nobody compared to Jimmy so imagine the impact of his actions with the public especially our youth.”

Michael

DATE: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2011
TIME: 9:45 am – 2:30 pm
VENUE: Roelands Mission, Seven Hills Road, Roelands WA (turn off Coalfields Highway)

Speakers include WA Police Commissioner, Dr Karl O’Callaghan, Prof Mike Daube, McCusker Centre for Action on Alcohol and Youth, and our very own Bruce Clark, Leigh Clark Foundation.

Numbers are capped. Please register now to avoid disappointment by contacting Carmen on iioy@iinet.net.au. A map will be forwarded with confirmation of your registration.

This free admission seminar is hosted by Investing In Our Youth Inc and sponsored by the Alcohol Education and Rehabilitation Foundation (AERF), Healthway, and the South West Population Health Unit.

Speaking Out About Reducing Alcohol-Related Harm on Children and Young People

The harm caused by alcohol is an issue of concern for the whole community and impacts significantly on children and young people's sense of safety and wellbeing.

Alcohol misuse by young people is the focus of a report, ‘Speaking Out About Reducing Alcohol-Related Harm on Children and Young People’, released by the Western Australia’s Commissioner for Children and Young People’s office. The report is based on a consultation the Office commissioned in June this year involving almost 300 young people aged 14 to 17 years from a variety of backgrounds.

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Hazard Edition 73, Winter 2011 - Assault-related injury among young people aged 15-34 years that occurred in public places: deaths and hospital-treated injury

31st Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs (APSAD) Conference

When: 13 - 16 November 2011
Where: Grand Chancellor Hotel, Hobart, Tasmania

http://www.apsadconference.com.au/

Light drinking 'cuts asthma risk'
Sydney Morning Herald, 25 September  2011
Moderate alcohol consumption may reduce the risk of asthma, research suggests. But heavy drinking makes the condition more likely, the Danish study found. Scientists compared alcohol intake with asthma risk over a period of eight years in more than 19,000 twins.

Study: Loners likely to drink to an early death
Herald Sun, 21 September 2011
Living alone has a new downside: a greater chance of drinking yourself to death. Not only are the bills all yours, but social isolation increases the likelihood of dying of a smorgasbord of alcohol-related causes, Finnish researchers say.

Alcohol 'in all parts of our culture'
The West Australian, 23 September 2011
Year 12 students Rickelle Kenny and Lawrence Considine say alcohol is hard to avoid, with drinking a part of every aspect of Australian culture from social events and celebrations to funerals. The 17-year-olds were among 300 young people interviewed for a report into attitudes to drinking among 14 to 17-year-olds in WA.

Mills wants to dump NT banned drinkers register
ABC News, 23 September 2011
Northern Territory Opposition Leader Terry Mills says he wants to drop the banned drinkers register. More than 1,300 people have been placed on the register since it was introduced in July. Mr Mills says banning drinkers is not a solution to alcohol problems in the Territory.

Call for minimum price on alcohol
ABC News, 21 September  2011
Victorian health experts are calling for a minimum price on alcohol to combat alcohol abuse.  A symposium is being held in Melbourne today to help shape the Victorian Government's alcohol and drug strategy. Professor Dan Lubman from the Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre says the accessibility of alcohol must be addressed.