National Binge Drinking Strategy

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17 November 2008

Joint Release

The Hon Nicola Roxon MP
Minister for Health and Ageing

The Hon Jan McLucas
Parlimentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing

Nineteen local communities will receive Federal Government support for grassroots programs to help tackle binge-drinking by young people.

Nineteen community projects across Australia will receive a total of $3.6 million in the first round of grants for grassroots, community work targeted at combating the impact of excessive alcohol consumption on individuals, their families and the wider community.

It is important to empower local communities to deliver local solutions to local problems. They know best the specific circumstances and details of what goes on in their own regions, towns and cities.

They have a solid understanding of what activities will and won’t work. They also have the commitment and energy to succeed.

The grants will enable community groups and organisations to combine in strong, effective partnerships to combat binge-drinking alongside community members and organisations such as police, health and youth workers, cultural groups and local government authorities.

The Rudd Government is determined to fight binge-drinking. These grants will enable the battle to be taken directly into local communities, by local communities for local communities.

The National Binge Drinking Strategy includes a range of measures to help tackle binge drinking among young Australians, including:

• $19.1 million to intervene earlier to assist young people and ensure that they assume personal responsibility for their binge drinking;
• $20 million to fund advertising that confronts young people with the costs and consequences of binge drinking.
• Closing the dangerous tax break for alcopops, used to hook young girls on binge-drinking

Binge drinking among young people is a community-wide problem that demands a community-wide response.

The Rudd Government is not prepared to stand by as the epidemic of youth binge-drinking spirals out of control, and these community grants are a solid step towards tackling alcohol abuse at the grassroots level.

Media contacts:
Minister Roxon’s Office – 02 6277 7220
Meagan Lawson (Senator McLucas) – 0417 226 617


NOTE TO EDITORS

Community based grants will be provided to:

• Careworks for The Frog Crew project ($118,000) to support a crew of trained and equipped primarily volunteer youth workers to serve the needs of young people on Friday and Saturday nights in Sydney’s Sutherland Shire.
• Waminda: South Coast Women's Health & Welfare Aboriginal Corporation - in partnership with the South Coast Medical Service Aboriginal Corporation and the South East Sydney and Illawarra Health Service for the Koori Chicks Binge Drinking Project ($248,775) - to increase the confidence of young Aboriginal women to manage their drinking, relationships and sexual health.
• Newcastle City Council for the Miromulliko project ($249,955) to manage environments in the Newcastle late night inner city in order to reduce the level of harm associated with binge drinking.
• Broken Hill Community Drug Action Team for the Drink Safe Community Initiative ($236,000) to reduce risky drinking behaviours and develop an ongoing "Drink Safe Community" initiative.
• Nambucca Valley Youth Services Centre for the Mid North Coast Street Team ($250,000) to engage young people in developing and implementing preventative strategies to reduce the incidence of risky alcohol use.
• Assisting Drug Dependants Inc for the Party Safe Binge Drinking Project ($243,300) to minimise harm and risky behaviours associated with binge drinking through a number of initiatives aimed at young people in the Canberra region.
• Sunrise Health Service Aboriginal Corporation for the Grog and You project ($149,944) to reduce the incidence of binge drinking among youth in Indigenous communities east of Katherine in the Northern Territory by providing key life skills, enhancing attitudes and positive behaviour in being responsible with alcohol, and increasing awareness of alcohol’s harmful effects to themselves, family and community.
• King Island Council for the Youth Access Program ($60,800) to provide alcohol-free venues for youth related activities.
• Lutheran Church of Australia for the On Friday Night in Kilburn project ($248,954).
• Shire of Katanning for the Katanning Alcohol Prevention Project ($210,730) to provide information, skills and knowledge to make appropriate decisions about consuming alcohol - for young people.
• Milbi Incorporated for the Club 500 Binge Drinking Awareness ($150,000) to target Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth by conducting anti-binge drinking events such as concerts and school visits.
• Australian Red Cross Society Queensland for the Binge Drinking Harm Minimisation Project ($150,000) to respond to binge drinking, specifically towards the needs of vulnerable target groups in the greater Brisbane and Toowoomba area.
• Anglicare North Queensland Limited Youth Substance Misuse Service for their Binge Drinking Initiative ($150,000) to provide school leavers with awareness of laws, penalties, standard drinks, drink spiking and many similar activities.
• Ipswich State High School & Bremer State High School for their Post Formal Mystery Tour ($40,000) for drug and alcohol free alternatives for students to celebrate their end of Year 12.
• Sunshine Coast Youth Partnership Inc for the Drink Safe Coalition ($250,000) to promote the concept of safe drinking and provide community capacity and engagement to support and proliferate targeted programs, interventions and alternative activities.
• Russian Ethnic Representative Council of Victoria for their Reducing Binge-drinking in Russian/Slavic project ($150,000) to conduct a broad community education campaign.
• Victorian Arabic Social Services for their Stay Cool: Think before you drink project ($150,000) to boost resilience and protective factors as well as awareness-raising across the Arabic community.
• Springvale Community Aid & Advice Bureau for their Binge Drinking Project ($229,904) to increase personal responsibility and decrease risk taking behaviour by engaging young people.
• City of Greater Geelong for the Barwon Safe Parties Project ($241,030) to address issues related to young people, alcohol and parties.

   

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