Page 1754 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 17 October 1989
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I want to extend the use of the term "drugs" beyond that which has been encompassed in the Minister's statement, and I want to refer to a drug which does no good, for the most part, and which is no good. It is quite incompatible with sport, yet it is a drug that is totally identified with sport, and that is alcohol.
We do not have sport today without it. We will celebrate the Fosters Melbourne Cup in a couple of weeks and I think it is the Fosters Grand Prix. Other beer companies either sponsor sporting events or use sporting stars in the promotion of their products. I want to dispute the view that alcohol and sport need to go together.
I first became concerned about this many years ago when I, as a member of parliament in another place, would attend sporting fixtures and then go back to the clubhouse with the rugby league footballers, in this case. I was dismayed to see these otherwise fit young people happily, as part of the culture, wipe themselves off with alcohol. It seemed to me a strange inconsistency that they would spend some time during the week training and then damage their system to the extent that they did with alcohol after a match.
I am not particularly a wowser, I suppose, if that is the term to be used - I drink alcohol - but I think the abuse of it by many of our young people, promoted by the big beer companies in particular, is something that is to be greatly avoided and resisted. I rise to my feet because I have not seen in recent times any resistance to its abuse.
If you follow sporting people around you will find there is often alcohol with them. If you see our sporting stars interviewed on television they may have a T-shirt or a cap promoting some brand or other. This is our alcohol culture, and it is so much part of our total culture that no longer do we question it. I think that the claimed good that is seen by promoting alcohol and sport together should be questioned.
It is not something that we should allow to be indulged any longer. I remind you of the damage that alcohol can do to the individual. As sports people, it does not enhance their ability when it is taken in the levels that seem to be accepted these days. Of course it is no good when it is consumed to excess generally and creates enormous damage throughout our country, no matter whether it is on our roads, in our businesses, our offices and our industries or in our homes as a promoter of domestic violence.
There is too much emphasis given to alcohol and the so-called benefits that it brings. I hope that, in due course, we can halt this excessiveness of advertising, of publicity, of promotion of alcohol. Let us enjoy it, by all means, because it can be enjoyed - and I enjoy it - but let its use not be excessive. I believe that not too far away we will be looking at alcohol and promotion of sport in the same way as we are now viewing tobacco and the promotion of sport.
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