Page 3270 - Week 11 - Thursday, 12 September 1991
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I do not think that we should increase the legal age for drinking from 18 to 21. I do not really think that is necessary. GALA, in fact, has given two options in that regard. It states, in the third paragraph on page 24:
... other options which could be considered include the suspension or deferment of young offenders' driving licences, or the raising of the legal age for drinking.
I think the suspension or deferral of the young offender's driving licence is preferable. If a 16-year-old is caught under-age drinking and given an on-the-spot fine or whatever, that person's ability to get a car licence should, perhaps, be deferred until the age of, say, 18. That is a deferral of 12 months, which would really bring home to them the stupidity of what they have done, make them that much more responsible, and make them grow up that much more quickly. That would probably be a lot more effective than raising the legal drinking age to 21, because a lot of kids under 18 do not indulge in under-age illegal drinking. In that sense, I think that suggestion by GALA is preferable to that of raising the legal age.
There are a lot of problems in relation to drinking. Dr Kinloch has spoken on a number of the social issues that result from the excessive consumption of alcohol. The Assembly Standing Committee on Social Policy, in its public behaviour inquiry, also detailed some great problems in relation to excessive consumption of alcohol. There are a couple of clear things that I think this Government and this Assembly can do. Rather than again pussyfoot around the issue and look only at one admittedly very important aspect but still only part of the problem - that of the underlying reasons for excessive consumption of alcohol and consumption of alcohol in a totally unsatisfactory manner by under-age drinkers - we can look at a number of immediate steps which can be taken to lessen the problem.
One of those steps, of course, can be addressed by this Assembly passing the very sensible, commonsense Bill I introduced yesterday, which the vast majority of Canberra citizens want to see introduced. By banning the consumption of alcohol around problem spots, some of the problems will be alleviated.
Mr Connolly: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, it is inappropriate to use an MPI to anticipate discussion and voting on a Bill, which Mr Stefaniak seems now to be advocating.
Mr Collaery: Yes, he can.
MR STEFANIAK: I can; but I have said what I wanted to say, anyway, Mr Connolly, so do not worry about it.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Connolly, I overrule your objection.
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