Crikey!  I come back from a week’s leave to find secondary supply dominating the national landscape.

Last week the Victorian Government launched an information and education campaign to raise awareness of a new law regarding the supply of alcohol to minors, which takes effect on 1 November 2011.

Under the Liquor Control Reform Act 1998. it will be an offence for adults to supply alcohol to anyone under the age of 18 years in a private residence without parental consent.  Previously the Act did not apply to private residences. Under the new law, a person who supplies alcohol to a minor without parental consent could be staring down the barrel of a $7,000 fine.

The information and education campaign will be supported by a new website at www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/teendrinkinglaw.

Go Victoria!

Next door, South Australia has introduced a bill to amend the Liquor Licensing Act 1997 around supply of alcohol to minors.

Under the amendment, a person who supplies liquor to a minor is guilty of an offence, unless they are a parent, guardian or spouse, or have permission of the same.  A maximum penalty of $5000 applies.

The supply must also be consistent with the responsible supervision of the underage young person.

And finally, a private member’s bill was introduced into the Parliament in Western Australia under which a person must not supply liquor to an underage young person on  unlicensed premises unless the person is a parent or  guardian of the young person.  The proposed penalty is a fine of $4000. However the government is not bound to support a private member’s bill so there might be some way to go in the West.

We all know that the use of alcohol by underage young people carries particular risks and negative impacts. Legislation restricting supply of alcohol to under 18 year-olds in private settings can be viewed as one important component of a comprehensive response to reducing alcohol harm in the community.

We’ve long been calling for the introduction of secondary supply legislation in each Australian State and Territory to protect children – fingers crossed.

Until next week,

Sarah Jaggard
Community Mobilisation Policy Officer

Dear GrogWatch,

I was pleased to get the Drug Info email about the Victorian legislation to prevent giving alcohol to kids without parental permission. We need this passed in NSW also*. It is now end of year for Year 12 students and here is what I have seen here.

My daughter is a school teacher and her daughter graduated from year 12 at a girl's school a couple of weeks ago. The class and their partners all went to a graduation formal. Most of the girls and their partners are 17. Before the formal they went to a pre-formal party at the home of one of the girls. On entering the daughter of the house handed each girl a cruiser and each boy was handed a beer. They were not asked if they wanted alcohol. They were not asked if they wanted soft drink but it was there if anyone requested it.

The formal did not provide or allow alcohol for the graduates. However, attending parents had alcohol on the table and my daughter reported that many consumed more than they should have.

The following night a local boy's school had its formal.  Again, there was alcohol there for the adults and my daughter reported that several adults became quite intoxicated.

What hope have we of warning or stopping young people from drinking or drinking to excess when they are getting mixed messages from their parents and see their parents drinking to excess?

Cheers,

Michael

(Note: this letter was edited for length)

* Interestingly, NSW was one of the first states to pass a law against secondary supply of alcohol, some twenty years ago.  This comment confirms our belief that the law has not been adequately communicated.

Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour, Sydney

9-11 November 2011

Youth Health 2011 is an exciting and important opportunity for a diverse group of people interested in young people’s health and well being to come together, including:
• Youth health workers, nurses, allied health staff
• Medical practitioners – GPs, specialist physicians/paediatricians
• Mental health, drug and alcohol and sexual health professionals
• Youth workers, health promotion workers and community service providers
• School counsellors, teachers
• Researchers, academics
• Managers, policy advisors
• Young people

http://www.youthhealth2011.com.au/

Ridding CBD of drunken louts
Daily Mercury, 10 October 2011
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Girls' drink pact
Sydney MorningHerald, 9 October 2011
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The Tax Forum: so much for “health in all policies”
Crikey, 7 October 2011
How different might the Tax Forum have been if a “health in all policies” framework had been one of its driving forces? The tax system is not only important for specific health issues, with tobacco and alcohol being the obvious examples, but also for how it can help shape the social and economic factors that influence health more broadly, and particularly health inequalities.

Historic relaxation of drinking laws in Fremantle
WA Today, 6 October 2011
The most relaxed restaurant drinking laws in WA history will be allowed in Fremantle for a month leading up to Christmas. Eateries with existing liquor licenses will be able to effectively operate like a small bar, serving alcohol to customers without requiring that they be seated.

Protecting kids from sly grog
Herald Sun, 5 October 2011
On August 13, 1999, my son Leigh, aged 15, was supplied with a massive quantity of alcohol. It contributed directly to his death. Who gave permission to supply alcohol to our son? I was not asked. His mother was not asked.