November 2009    Changing the culture in Australia from binge drinking to responsible drinking is critical to reducing the harms from alcohol. Parents in particular play a crucial role in this fight by shaping their children’s attitudes and behaviours towards alcohol.

This message couldn’t be more important than over the coming weeks - as students across Australia complete their exams and head to schoolies week celebrations. Today’s Parliament House launch of the ‘Kids and Alcohol Don’t Mix’ campaign, by DrinkWise Australia and the alcohol industry, is targeted at parents and is a positive move by the industry to combat binge drinking. This campaign is a good example of how as a community we need to work together to change the risky drinking culture that is influencing our young people.

There is more that industry can do, including taking voluntary action in regard to marketing, product composition and sale of products to combat binge drinking and underage drinking. The Government is making significant investments in preventative health, including through the $87.2 million COAG Preventive Health National Partnership.

For more information regarding research on the topic, visit DrinkWise.

From a media release by The Hon Nicola Roxon, November 18 2009.

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