In 2023, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced an independent inquiry into Australia’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. FARE made a submission to the inquiry, noting that COVID-19 has had lasting impacts on the ways that alcohol is sold and marketed and the resulting harms. Action is needed to ensure that common sense measures are introduced to help reduce and prevent alcohol harm.
Alcohol companies are currently drawing people’s attention away from the risk of harm associated with alcohol use by using marketing claims that make their products appear healthy, including ‘low sugar’ and ‘low carb’. There is strong evidence that nutrition content marketing claims like these can create a ‘health halo effect’ on unhealthy products.
The South Australian Government has been developing a new SA Cancer Plan with input from the community. They have used this information to understand what is currently happening in cancer care in South Australia, and to shape future strategies which have informed the draft SA Cancer Plan.
The ACT Government has proposed legislative measures to address the delivery of alcohol in a Discussion Paper released for public consultation in August 2023. However, there were also some significant gaps in the proposals that can allow the risk of harms from online sales and delivery of alcohol to continue to increase.
The NSW Government is in its second stage of reviewing the alcohol delivery reforms which started in July 2021. The reforms aimed to better regulate online sales and delivery of alcohol.
The ACT Government developed the ACT Preventive Action Plan 2023-25 with the aim of preventing chronic diseases by supporting people to choose lifestyle behaviours that reduce their risk of developing preventable diseases. FARE lodged a submission to the plan to ensure that the prevention of alcohol harms exacerbating in the ACT community would be included in the plan.
The Tasmanian Government has been developing a new Drug Strategy for 2023-2028 to enhance the health, safety, and wellbeing of all Tasmanians. FARE responded to the final Consultation Draft, and to the Consultation Paper.
Alcohol harm is exacerbated by the online sale and delivery of alcohol, which has vastly increased availability and accessibility. This is part of a broader trend towards digitisation of transactions and mobility of products in society. But alcohol is no ordinary product like groceries or books. It is a drug that requires controls on how it is sold and supplied so that communities are protected from potential harm.
Everyone should be able to enjoy the benefits of using digital technologies to work, learn and play. This can happen when we have safe digital environments that enable people’s health and wellbeing. However, the
extensive collection, use and disclosure of people’s information is being used to fuel digital marketing practices that are harming our community.
The issue of harmful digital marketing practices is falling through the gaps of existing and recommended regulatory frameworks and warrants greater consideration in regulatory reforms seeking to prevent consumer harms online.
In 2023, the Northern Territory Government announced a review of the Liquor Act 2019 (the Act), to assess how the Act is meeting its objective of minimising alcohol harm. As part of the review, a Discussion Paper was published that outlined key issues and potential reforms.
FARE supports mandatory standardised on-label energy information for alcoholic products. FARE has some concerns about the proposals being put forth by FSANZ, specifically relating to the reference to an industry specified serving size. FARE makes recommendations in this submission to further strengthen the current proposal.
FARE acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the lands and waters on which we operate throughout Australia. We pay our respects to Elders past and present, and recognise the continuing connection to country of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
©2025 FARE
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FARE acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the lands and waters on which we operate throughout Australia. We pay our respects to Elders past and present, and recognise the continuing connection to country of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
©2025 FARE
Privacy Statement
T&C
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