Page 3290 - Week 11 - Thursday, 12 September 1991
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Mr Speaker, there is a real need when dealing with a person who is affected by alcohol not only to deal with the person as an individual but also to deal with the person as being within the family. The broader issues need to be looked at. As Mr Collaery said, I believe that there should be a tightening of guidelines for the issuing of licences and the reissuing and renewing of licences. The checking of under-age drinking should be tightened. Perhaps penalties should be increased for those who provide alcohol to under-age persons. It is encouraging to note that the Government will be doing some work on a pub card and the issuing of a pub card.
With regard to the distribution and sale of alcohol, there should be stricter controls, especially in supermarkets. They should ensure that the checkout operators selling alcohol are not under age. From talking to community groups I have found that alcohol is a big problem. It is affecting a lot of people within the community. Quite a number of the submissions we have had on behavioural disturbance mention alcohol problems and related problems that the behaviourally disturbed children are having.
The submission from the Alcohol and Drug Service, Special Services Branch, ACT Board of Health, identifies the gaps in service delivery. Possible future directions suggested include the need for the development of prevention programs targeting at-risk youth; the expansion of early intervention strategies and training programs for generalist workers; greater coordination between agencies dealing with at-risk or affected youth; the development of specialist treatment programs for youth and the diversion of youth offenders from the criminal justice system into treatment. They are just a few recommendations from a government service.
MR JENSEN (4.38): Mr Speaker, like a lot of other members in the Assembly today, I was a little surprised to see the ALP's attitude to the issues that were raised by this motion this afternoon. Either they do not understand or they do not appreciate the extent of the concern within the community about the effects of alcohol, particularly on the young. Maybe Mr Connolly and Mr Berry should visit some of the areas in the city and the suburbs used by young under-age drinkers on Saturday evenings and other evenings, to see the extent of the problem. I know that Mr Berry has older children. I am sure he is fully aware of the pressures that are applied on our young people these days from their peers. I think we are fully aware of the issues and the problems in that area.
I have heard it suggested by some here today that an inquiry by an Assembly committee may well be the way to go. However, I think the record for the reports of Assembly committees is unfortunate. The Standing Committee on Social Policy, which for some considerable period was ably led by Mr Wood, produced reports that were far-reaching and far thinking. They covered the issues quite extensively.
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