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To help shape and inform the development of effective alcohol policy across the country, FARE makes submissions to a range of Commonwealth, State and Territory government inquiries.Â
You can read our latest submissions below, or use the search bar to find submissions about a particular policy area.
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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.
The NSW Government has been considering significant changes to its liquor licensing laws, which were proposed in a detailed Liquor Licensing Reform Options Discussion Paper for consultation. The Discussion Paper proposed some positive changes that could improve community engagement and access to licensing consultation.
Many no and low alcohol products (sometimes referred to as zero alcohol products) are an extension of existing alcohol brand ranges. These products are becoming increasingly available in retail settings where alcohol is not allowed to be marketed or sold, such as convenience stores and supermarkets.
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) called for submissions on an application to permit pregnancy warning labels on corrugated cardboard cartons (CCCs) to be in a single colour on a contrasting background. The requirements of ‘Pregnancy warning labels on alcoholic beverages’ as incorporated into the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (the code), cover the scope, application, size and colour requirements of the warning labels.
The ACT Government has been updating its Drug Strategy Action Plan 2022-2026 to replace the now-concluded 2018-21 Drug Strategy Action Plan. The Action Plan outlines the ACT Government’s priorities to address harms from alcohol, tobacco and other drugs over the next four years.
The Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System recommended that the Victorian Government develop a suicide prevention and response strategy to better prevent and respond to suicide. The Mental Health and Wellbeing Division in the Victorian Department of Health provided a Discussion Paper for stakeholders to respond to.
The rise of the #MeToo movement has shone a spotlight on the prevalence of sexual harassment, bullying and other inappropriate and unacceptable behaviours within workplaces across the country, leading to a range of inquiries at federal and state levels. Alcohol is a risk factor for these types of behaviours, acknowledged in several recent government reviews.Â
The ACT Government invited written submissions to its 2022-23 Budget Consultation to consider the ACT Wellbeing Framework. FARE lodged a submission ‘Preventing the Criminalisation of People with FASD’ that addresses all 12 domains of the ACT Wellbeing Framework.
With digital connections playing a significant part in our everyday lives, we need a regulatory system that ensures a safe and healthy online environment for everyone.
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