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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2013-11-27 Daily Xml
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SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE: SALE AND CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (20:23): I move:

That the interim report of the committee, on its inquiry into the sale and consumption of alcohol, be noted.

The terms of reference for the inquiry were advertised on 11 May this year. The committee also wrote directly to a number of individuals and organisations with expertise and interest in the subject matter inviting them to provide evidence. There were 34 written submissions received and 48 witnesses have given evidence to the committee to date.

The committee would like to thank all those people who have assisted with the inquiry. The committee commenced hearing public evidence on 20 May this year and concluded hearings for the current year on 18 November. Due to time constraints, the committee has not yet completed its inquiry. Committee members have resolved to present an interim report on their findings to date regarding the adequacy and appropriateness of laws and practices related to the sale and consumption of alcohol in South Australia.

The committee has also reported on the health risks of alcohol consumption in respect of foetal alcohol syndrome. In conducting the inquiry, the committee sought to consider the available evidence concerning the modification of laws and practices to minimise social and health issues, criminal behaviour, and other antisocial behaviour arising from the consumption of alcohol, and to effect positive change where necessary.

The committee recognised the importance of laws and practices and how they may contribute to the burden of problem drinking in the South Australian community and, to the extent they do contribute, how they should be changed, if at all. How any such changes might be implemented effectively also requires careful consideration. In addition, ongoing health promotion strategies, community education and social marketing strategies, appropriately targeted at population groups, are needed to inform the community of best practice approaches to the promotion and protection of the health of children and adults.

Before going further, I would like to take this opportunity to thank members from the other place who provided valuable input into the inquiry. I would like to thank Ms Frances Bedford, Mr Alan Sibbons, Mr David Pisoni and the Hon. Dr Bob Such, and from this chamber I would like to thank the Hon. Kelly Vincent, the Hon. Jing Lee and the Hon. Dennis Hood. Inquiries such as this would not be possible without the valuable contribution of the many individuals and organisations who gave up their time to come forward and give information. We thank all of those who presented evidence to this inquiry, either in writing or by appearing before the committee.

The committee heard that the issue for the government in setting alcohol policy through regulation and public policy mechanisms is one of balance. The available evidence, the interests and aspirations of people who consume alcohol responsibly and the issues for those who misuse alcohol and the commercial interests of the alcohol industry and its consequences for tourism, employment and revenue must all be balanced.

Most Australians (approximately 90 per cent) have tried alcohol at some time in their lives. Almost 83 per cent have consumed an alcoholic drink in the past 12 months, approximately 8 per cent drink daily and approximately 41 per cent drink weekly. We know that most people drink responsibly and at levels that have very few adverse effects. While there are social and economic benefits associated with the sale and consumption of alcohol, there are also a range of potentially serious substantial short and long-term harms.

The committee was presented with a substantial amount of evidence about alcohol-related morbidity and mortality and the relationship between drinking environments and harm. The committee heard of the acute harms that result from the misuse of alcohol. These may include the risk of violence or of car accidents and chronic harms such as depression, cancer and liver damage, as well as the impacts on individuals, families, the community and the workplace.

The committee heard evidence that more than 70,000 Australians were victims of alcohol-related assaults in 2010. Of these, more than 24,000 Australians were victims of alcohol-related domestic violence. The committee heard evidence that South Australian research reveals that alcohol is responsible for or contributes to 30 per cent of road accidents, 44 per cent of fire injuries, 34 per cent of falls and drowning, 16 per cent of child abuse cases, 12 per cent of suicides, 10 per cent of industrial accidents, approximately 10,000 hospital admissions each year and approximately 500 deaths each year.

The committee heard that last year 50 per cent of police call-outs and one in eight deaths of people under 25 were alcohol related. Quite apart from the economic cost, the social and public cost of alcohol-related violence has been described by some members of the judiciary as an epidemic. The committee heard evidence from a number of witnesses that alcohol-related problems are considerable and impact the health, wellbeing and social interactions of individuals, families and communities.

Awareness of the potential risks and harms of alcohol when consumed in quantities above the limits recommended by the National Health and Medical Research Council has increased in recent years. Evidence-based research has continually highlighted the relevance of alcohol legislation and policy in managing the use and misuse of alcohol. Governments therefore need to balance managing the social, health and economic costs of alcohol with considerations of the income resulting from the sale and consumption of alcohol and the employment of the substantial workforce involved directly in the industry and in subsidiary employment.

The committee heard that the alcohol industry in South Australia is a substantial employer and contributor of revenue to the economy. South Australia has a national and international reputation as a premium wine producer and for having some of Australia's leading wine districts. The alcohol industry is a significant contributor to tourism and regional economic activity. The committee consistently heard in evidence that the key issues in addressing alcohol-related harms are: availability, price and promotion and marketing. There are many studies that show the number of licensed venues has a direct correlation with the number of people consuming alcohol and the distinct likelihood of an increase in alcohol related harm.

The committee heard that over the past two decades South Australia has seen the liberalisation of restrictions on the sale of alcohol with an increase both in the number and categories of licensed premises and the number of special event licences. The committee was informed that South Australia has the highest per capita number of liquor licences of any Australian state or territory. The number of liquor licences has increased from 3,590 in 1996 to 6,160 in 2012, representing an increase of 72 per cent. During the same period the population of South Australia increased by 12 per cent. In other words, the rate of increase of licensed premises in South Australia was six times the rate of population increase.

The relationship between alcohol outlet density and alcohol related violence, criminal and antisocial behaviours, and alcohol related harm is of critical importance in assessing the adequacy of laws and practices governing the sale and consumption of alcohol in South Australia. What is not evident is whether there is a threshold level of density of alcohol outlets where assaults become a serious problem and what effect each additional outlet has on the number of assaults. The committee was told that evidence shows a clear link between extended trading hours and increased alcohol related crime and assaults in the Adelaide central business district. There is overwhelming evidence that the price of alcohol has a clear influence on its sale and consumption for all its consumers including young people and heavy drinkers.

Through its regulatory mechanisms, the government plays a key role in influencing the price of alcohol and whether it may be sold cheaply from licensed outlets. When the price of alcohol is reduced or discounted, the result is an increase in sales and consumption. Currently alcohol advertising in South Australia is regulated by the Alcoholic Beverages Advertising Code. This stipulates alcohol advertisements must be presented in a balanced and responsible manner and must not have a strong appeal to children or adolescents. However, this is a self-regulatory code administered by the alcohol industry. Perhaps it should be administered by an independent regulator.

The committee heard evidence from the youth sector, health sector, and the drug and alcohol sector that alcohol advertising and sponsorship of sporting and other community events should be reviewed as they have a considerable impact and influence on children and young people and on the community in general. The committee heard evidence that minimising harm by helping young people learn to consume alcohol appropriately and equipping the community to help young people make responsible choices should be the primary goal of any response to the issue of alcohol consumption.

It is interesting to note that the National Indigenous Drug and Alcohol Committee has reported that Indigenous Australians were 1.4 times more likely than non-Indigenous Australians to abstain from drinking alcohol but they were also about 1.5 times more likely to drink alcohol at risky levels for both single occasion and lifetime harm. Population statistics indicate that Indigenous Australians have a shorter lifespan than non-Indigenous people in the community. According to the information of the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Indigenous people die at an earlier age than non-Indigenous people as a consequence of harmful consumption of alcohol.

It is estimated that alcohol is involved in 40 per cent of male suicides and 30 per cent of female suicides. There is a strong link between alcohol consumption and representation of Indigenous people in the criminal justice system, particularly for men. Indigenous Australians are also more likely to be victims of violence. We know that Indigenous people are acutely aware of the health, economic and social costs of excessive alcohol consumption, including violence, social disorder, family breakdown, child neglect, loss of income or diversion of income to purchase alcohol, involvement with the criminal justice system, and incarceration.

We know too that Indigenous people are actively involved in responding to alcohol misuse in their communities. The committee heard evidence that foetal alcohol syndrome is one of a range of health consequences that result from the use of alcohol during pregnancy. Foetal alcohol spectrum disorder is the overarching term commonly used for the range of conditions that may result as a symptom of foetal exposure to alcohol in the womb.

Foetal alcohol spectrum disorder encompasses foetal alcohol syndrome, partial foetal alcohol syndrome, alcohol related neuro-developmental disorder, and alcohol related birth defects. Notably, instances of foetal alcohol syndrome are in the minority of all FAS disorders.

Foetal alcohol spectrum disorder is widely recognised to be the most prevalent and preventable cause of non-genetic birth defects and brain damage in children. There are a range of consequences that can occur to the foetal brain when there is parental exposure to alcohol, including physical, cognitive, intellectual, behavioural and social functioning disabilities, such as problems with communication, motor skills, attention and memory deficits.

Facial abnormalities and abnormalities of the central nervous system can also occur. The type of defect or defects suffered by an individual relate to the time period during the pregnancy when alcohol was consumed. Importantly, though, there is no cure. The health risks associated with alcohol consumption can be long lasting, and it is important to recognise that health impacts do not necessarily result from the excessive consumption of alcohol or binge drinking. Any amount of alcohol can cause harm to the unborn child, and the resulting disabilities are permanent.

The committee was told that prevention is the only way to eliminate foetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Zero alcohol consumption in pregnancy results in zero risk. Education to promote awareness of the disorder and the risks of consuming alcohol in the pregnancy is critical to its prevention. The committee heard evidence that there is a lack of knowledge of the prevalence of foetal alcohol spectrum disorder in South Australia and Australia in general. The true extent of this condition is unknown because there is no nationally consistent definition or diagnostic tool to test for it.

The committee was told that women, the health sector and the broad community need to be educated about the risk of foetal alcohol spectrum disorder and the national health guidelines on drinking and pregnancy. The inquiry has revealed that the availability, price, marketing and promotion of alcohol are key issues for the government to consider in respect of reducing patterns of risky and anti-social behaviour and other alcohol-related harms in the community. I commend the report.

The Hon. J.S. LEE (20:37): As a member of the Social Development Committee I would like to make a few remarks about the inquiry into the sale and consumption of alcohol. First, I would like to commend the Hon. Dennis Hood for putting forward a motion for the Social Development Committee for this inquiry. I also take this opportunity to thank the rest of the members of the committee: the Hon. Russell Wortley, Presiding Member, the Hon. Dennis Hood I mentioned earlier, the Hon. Kelly Vincent, Mr David Pisoni MP, Ms Frances Bedford MP, Mr Alan Sibbons MP, and the Hon. Dr Bob Such MP.

There has been a good working relationship getting the interim report to this level of witnesses and hearings. I thank all the witnesses who came in, those who made submissions and particularly the two very hard-working people who assist the committee, Robyn Schutte, the Social Development Committee secretary and Carmel O'Connell, the research officer, and not forgetting Hansard, who has been there with us along the way.

The committee heard that, in general, alcohol is consumed in a responsible manner and at moderate levels. However, there are instances of people consuming alcohol at levels that increase their risk of alcohol-related injury and developing health problems over the course of their lifetime. The issue for governments in setting alcohol policy through regulation and public policy mechanisms is to balance available evidence and the interests and aspirations of people who consume alcohol responsibly with those who misuse alcohol, as well as supporting the commercial interests of the alcohol industry and recognising the benefits to the community in terms of tourism, employment and revenue.

The alcohol industry is a significant contributor to the South Australian economy in terms of revenue, is a substantial employer, providing a major export item, as well as the role it plays in tourism, regional economic activities and community development as well. So, it was the intention of the Social Development Committee to investigate and seek advice on the effectiveness of laws and practices that govern the sale and consumption of alcohol, and in doing so reflect a body of evidence-based knowledge to effect positive change where necessary.

Whilst the committee heard a substantial amount of evidence about the harm that results from the misuse of alcohol and how it presents a continuing challenge for policymakers, the alcohol industry and the police, who are charged with keeping law and order, protecting public safety and the wider South Australian community, the issue for government is whether measures to counteract the negative effects of alcohol should be introduced across the general population or primarily be targeted to those persons who misuse it.

In the course of the inquiry a number of key issues were consistently raised, in submissions received and in oral evidence presented, to target the misuse of alcohol and to effectively respond to health issues, criminal and antisocial behaviour as a consequence of alcohol consumption. These issues were: alcohol-related harm and harm minimisation strategies; categories of liquor licences and density of outlets; trading hours; liquor licensing accords; alcohol pricing; advertising, marketing and promotion; alcohol sales volume data; community education and social media strategies; and enforcement of existing legislation.

As this may be the last sitting week of the second session of the 52nd parliament, the committee has resolved to present an interim report on its findings to date, based on evidence received and additional research undertaken into the adequacy and appropriateness of the laws and practices relating to the sale and consumption of alcohol in South Australia. In conclusion, I look forward to seeing the presentation of recommendations when parliament resumes in 2014. With those few words, I commend the interim report to the council.

Motion carried.

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