- Home
- Hansard & Papers
- Legislative Assembly
- 2 March 2005
Alcohol Sales to Minors
Printing Tips |
Print selected text
| Full Day Hansard Transcript
« Prior Item |
Item 25 of 58
| Next Item »
Page: 14488
Ministerial Statement
Mr GRANT McBRIDE (The Entrance—Minister for Gaming and Racing, and Minister for the Central Coast) [2.23 p.m.]: I shall detail a promotion that ran in a popular lifestyle magazine.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! I call the honourable member for Upper Hunter to order.
Mr GRANT McBRIDE: The promotion involved sending packs of alcohol to letter writers and, I believe, targeted young drinkers. FHM magazine has been offering six-packs of beer or four-packs of bourbon and cola to anyone who has a letter published in the magazine. The message seems to be that, whatever age people may be, they can write in and get a free six-pack of beer. This magazine obviously targets young men, in particular. Young men aged 14, 15 or 16 can buy the magazine, write a couple of sentences and then wait by the mailbox for their free alcohol—their six-pack of full-strength beer or their four-pack of bourbon and cola—to arrive.
The magazine did not make the proper checks and balances and was in breach of the Liquor Act. Section 114 (1) of that Act says that alcohol cannot be provided to people under 18 years of age. The Department of Gaming and Racing recently contacted the magazine involved and FHM agreed to withdraw the promotion. I congratulate the magazine on that good decision. Late last year I moved in the House to ban a record store campaign that linked CD sales to alcohol vouchers. I also announced a crackdown on alcohol being sold to minors over the telephone or via the Internet. Fines for these offences range from $5,500 to $22,000. The message is simple: The Carr Government will not tolerate promotional campaigns that appear to be aimed at encouraging young people to drink. It is as simple as that.
Last modified 05/12/2007 16:41:18 : Update this page