October 2009     The Government is stepping up its efforts to tackle binge drinking across the nation. Phase two of the Government’s National Binge Drinking Campaign, targeting young people about binge drinking – ‘Don’t Turn a Night Out Into a Nightmare’ – began on the 1st of November.

As well as advertising across mainstream media, the campaign will feature at Schoolies Week celebrations, music festivals, on the Australian Idol Grand Final and social networking media.

The Government is determined to tackle the binge drinking epidemic across this nation – an epidemic that is impacting so devastatingly on our young people, their friends, families and communities. Phase two of the National Binge Drinking Campaign aims to ensure we connect with young people in settings that are relevant to them.

The Government is providing $20 million over two years for the campaign – part of the $53.5 million announced by the Prime Minister in March 2008 for a National Binge Drinking Strategy. The primary target audiences are teenagers aged 15-17 years and young adults aged 18-25 years. The secondary target audience is parents of 13-17 year olds.

The message to young people is – Drinking to intoxication puts you at risk of serious harm. The message to parents is that they can positively influence their children’s attitudes and behaviour about drinking.

The statistics used in the campaign to highlight the consequences of excessive drinking paint a frightening picture. These are:

On average, 1 in 4 hospitalisations of 15-25 year olds happen because of alcohol.

• 70 Australians aged under 25 will be hospitalised due to alcohol-caused assault in an average week.
• Four Australians aged under 25 die due to alcohol related injuries in an average week.
• One in two Australians aged 15-17 who get drunk will do something they regret

Along with the National Binge Drinking Campaign, the National Binge Drinking Strategy comprises two other measures – $14.4 million for community level initiatives to confront the culture of binge drinking, particularly in sporting organisations; and $19.1 million for an Early Intervention Program designed to intervene earlier to assist young people and ensure that they assume personal responsibility for their binge drinking.

To view the campaign or for more information, visit The Drinking Nightmare.

From a media release by The Hon Nicola Roxon MP, October 31 2009.

Register now to join the YourKidsEd e-mailing list for updates on new links and education information. It's FREE!!