Page 1808 - Week 07 - Tuesday, 15 June 1993
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When we looked at the situation of young people and alcohol, the anecdotal evidence from a lot of people was that the situation was much worse than when we were children. People even older than I were saying such things. It seemed to me and to other members of the committee that there was no evidence to support that. In fact, when we questioned people individually about what they did as young people in terms of alcohol, we found that a very similar picture emerged. I imagine that it would not take too much research to find out that binge drinking, as we now define it, was something in which many of us participated in our youth.
Perhaps that is one of the reasons why we subtitled this report A Rite of Passage?, with a question mark. That question mark is particularly important because it raises the questions not so much of whether it is a rite of passage but rather of whether it ought to be a rite of passage, and how we are going to deal with this problem of young people and alcohol. The immediate notion, and the easy concept, is to use those words of Nancy Reagan, in particular: "Just say no". The trouble with that is that we know that it is not going to work. That being the case, we have a choice: Whether we simply bury our heads in the sand, or attempt to make some moves towards trying to seek a situation where young people can deal with alcohol in a sensible and rational way.
We have presented a number of recommendations to the Assembly through this report. The first and most important ones have to do with education strategies and what we can do in terms of encouraging young people to recognise alcohol as a drug with significant side effects. The recommendations in terms of that education go on to binge drinking and then to a proof of age card. The committee was very conscious of arguments presented on the proof of age card, and the recommendation we have finally come to is that a proof of age card, sometimes referred to as a pubcard, be issued on voluntary application by people who have attained the age of 18 years. I am aware that Mrs Grassby, in her additional comments, has discussed further that particular issue, and I will leave her to continue with that. The arguments, as the majority of members saw them, are clearly set out in the final report, and they take into account arguments presented to us by the Chief Minister's Department and the difficulties we saw with those arguments. I do not think that is the biggest issue. A much more important issue is to do with liquor licensing hours and a proclaimed place.
The committee did two really important things, as I see it. The first of those was to visit a series of colleges and private schools around Canberra and talk to students in years 11 and 12. We had a fantastic opportunity to hear very frankly what the students felt about the current situation with liquor and what they thought would happen if the liquor laws were tightened or if we took some of the other measures that were suggested. The issue of a proclaimed place came out of those discussions, but also from a visit this committee made to Manly in 1992. Hence we have made recommendations that are consistent with what we saw working in New South Wales.
We also raised the issue of liquor licensing hours. It was an issue that members felt that it was important to raise because, in developing a restriction on licensing hours, we are attempting to use the same method that Mr Berry has been using in attacking the harm associated with tobacco, and that is to bring some restriction to the use of alcohol. It seems to us, from reports from the police and from our own visits through Civic with the police force, that it is unnecessary to have liquor outlets available between 4.00 am and 8.00 am.
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