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THE HON NICOLA ROXON MP

Former Minister for Health and Ageing

Consultation Open on Alcohol–Free Community Sponsorship Fund

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As part of its National Binge Drinking Strategy, the Australian Government is seeking input from the community on how to remove links between alcohol and community sporting and cultural activities that young people are involved in.

PDF printable version of Consultation Open on Alcohol–Free Community Sponsorship Fund (PDF 26 KB)

27 October 2010

As part of its National Binge Drinking Strategy, the Gillard Government is seeking input from the community on how to remove links between alcohol and community sporting and cultural activities that young people are involved in.

Australia’s overall per capita consumption of alcohol is high by world standards.

Over 34% of Australians aged 14 and over are drinking at levels that risk causing harm in the short term.

813,072 Australians aged 15 years and older were hospitalised for alcohol-attributable injury and disease over the 10-year period 1995-96 to 2004-05.

The social cost of alcohol abuse in Australia was estimated at about $15.3 billion in 2004-05.

The Gillard Government is taking action by implementing the $103.5 million National Binge Drinking Strategy, which includes the additional $50 million following discussions with the Australian Greens and Senator Xenophon to target community initiatives.

A key plank of the National Binge Drinking Strategy is the $25 million Community Sponsorship Fund to provide an alternative to alcohol industry sponsorship for local community sporting and cultural organisations.
Today’s consultation paper is being distributed to community and sporting organisations and peak body stakeholders seeking their comment on an alternative to alcohol sponsorship.
Subject to the consultation process, the Community Sponsorship Fund will aim to:

  • reduce the exposure of young people in particular to alcohol imagery and branding
  • remove links that tend to normalise a connection between alcohol consumption and sporting and cultural activities
  • support community-based organisations to provide alcohol-free environments particularly for minors
  • reduce the risky consumption of alcohol through appropriate responsible service of alcohol at sporting events.
Feedback on the consultation paper will help the Government to gain a better understanding of the organisations that may be eligible for funding, the type and size of the sponsorships they currently receive and the number of organisations involved.

The consultation process will end on 19 November 2010 and the paper is available at www.alcohol.gov.au.

For all media inquiries, please contact the Minister's Office on 02 6277 7220.

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