Australia: Beer tax could help curb binge drinking

A Northern Territory policy to curb over-consumption of alcohol in the early 1990s could be the key to combating binge drinking across Australia, ABC News reported March 25.

The director of the Alcohol Education and Rehabilitation Foundation and former policy adviser to the Northern Territory Government, Dr Peter Dabbs, says in the early 1990s a tax on full-strength beer in the Territory was a success.

Dr Dabbs says at that time, the Territory population was consuming alcohol at a rate of double the national average.

He says there are similarities between the drinking culture then and now.

"The whole sort of Territory mainstream culture, if you like, was pretty saturated in grog," he said.

"There was also particular concern as there remains today with some of the alcohol problems associated with Indigenous communities."

But Dr Dabbs says an alcohol tax was successful in the Territory because the proceeds were ploughed back into media campaigns, prevention and treatment.

"When the Government said [it was] going to increase the license fee on full-strength alcoholic drinks and divert that money so it was purely used for prevention and treatment of alcohol problems, it was widely accepted," he said.

The Federal Government will meet with state and territory health ministers tomorrow to consider placing a graphic warning label on alcoholic drinks.

26 March, 2008