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The Hon. CHRISTINE ROBERTSON: My question is addressed to the Special Minister of State. Can the Minister outline the latest research into alcohol abuse in sporting clubs?
The Hon. JOHN DELLA BOSCA: The New South Wales Summit on Alcohol Abuse noted the problems caused by excessive alcohol consumption and emphasised the need to work towards a change in the culture of excessive drinking. The New South Wales Motor Accidents Authority has contributed funding to a new research report into alcohol use in community sporting clubs. The national study, which involved 213 sporting clubs and 1,742 respondents, analysed alcohol consumption within clubs and encourages members to adopt a more responsible attitude to the consumption and management of alcohol.
Sporting clubs are part of everyday life for Australian children. Generally speaking, they also have a great following among parents and amateur sportspeople. Sporting clubs are an important part of our culture, often affecting the loyalties of generations within families. Alcohol too has a significant and, as we well know, historic place in our folklore stretching back at least to the arrival of the First Fleet. That is why it is important that we understand and consider the social cost of our tradition of combining sport and alcohol, especially excessive alcohol use. This survey, "The Culture and Context of Alcohol Use in Community Sporting Clubs in Australia", has found that alcohol misuse is very common within many sporting clubs. An overwhelming number of sporting club members—79 per cent—thought drinking was "an important part of club camaraderie" and club activities.
The report found also that almost one-third of males and more than half of all women surveyed were drinking at their sporting clubs at levels that may otherwise be harmful to their long-term health. Of great concern is that the majority of men and women drive home after training or sporting events at their sports clubs; 30 per cent of them claimed, or admitted, they were over the legal alcohol limits to drive. The study highlights the value and cost of alcohol and sporting activity at the community level. It found widespread prevalence of the excessive consumption of alcohol within sporting clubs, and it urges the development of strategies to reduce the harms associated with alcohol. Alcohol sponsorship of community sporting clubs, like their counterparts at the professional level, has become increasingly common. While sponsorship on its own is not the issue, we are all too familiar with the image of consumption of alcohol to toast sporting success, or indeed drown our sorrows in defeat.
The Hon. Michael Egan: Like Dubbo.
The Hon. JOHN DELLA BOSCA: I thought we were not allowed to speak that word.
The Hon. Michael Egan: No, not formally.
The Hon. JOHN DELLA BOSCA: Well, I am not saying it. There is a growing recognition in our community that we must address the abuse of alcohol since it leads to health problems, injury, road trauma, loss of income and, on occasions, violence and family breakdown. Similar research has already led to the implementation of the Good Sports Accreditation program across rural and metropolitan Victorian. That program helps sporting clubs implement alcohol policies that foster more responsible attitudes to the consumption and management of alcohol among club members during and after training and attending sporting events. It is important that we all work together and make informed choices about the future direction of targeted education, health promotion and prevention programs within sporting clubs. The range of sporting clubs surveyed included cricket, tennis, rugby union, rugby league, surf-lifesaving and Australian Rules. I thank those clubs for their participation in this program.
The Hon. Catherine Cusack: What about the girls' sports?
The Hon. JOHN DELLA BOSCA: Yes, soccer and surf-lifesaving.
The Hon. CHRISTINE ROBERTSON: I ask a supplementary question. Will the Minister elucidate his answer?
The Hon. JOHN DELLA BOSCA: I thank the honourable member for her courtesy and commend her interest in eliciting further matters. I would like to add that the survey and research were assisted by a grant of $100,000 from the Alcohol Education and Rehabilitation Foundation. The Australian Drug Foundation undertook the study on a national basis, with the Motor Accidents Authority contributing $25,000 towards the New South Wales research component. This is yet another example of the valuable co-operation that is possible between Commonwealth and State governments in the management of drug and alcohol problems.