Page 21 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 13 February 1990
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will introduce as a result of the board's work. I present the following paper:
Priorities Review Board - Ministerial statement, 13 February 1990
and move:
That the Assembly takes note of the paper.
Debate (on motion by Mr Berry) adjourned.
NATIONAL HEALTH POLICY ON ALCOHOL
Ministerial Statement
MR HUMPHRIES (Minister for Health, Education and the Arts), by leave: Today I wish to inform members of the Government's position in relation to the national health policy on alcohol. The national health policy on alcohol was endorsed by the Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy on 23 March 1989. Although the policy was developed after extensive national consultation, the prime responsibility for implementation rests with State and Territory governments.
The ACT Government takes this opportunity to lend its support to the national health policy developed by the Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy. It is appropriate therefore that the ACT Government should develop a suitable range of responses within the framework of the national health policy on alcohol which are specifically suited to the ACT. In order to develop policies about the important health, welfare, education and legal issues that surround the social use of alcohol I have asked my Department of Health to establish an interdepartmental consultative group to examine these issues.
It should be stated at the outset that the national health policy on alcohol is not a prohibitionist policy. The ultimate aim of the policy is not the complete cessation of all consumption of alcohol. Unlike tobacco, the moderate consumption of alcohol does not necessarily lead to impaired health. Indeed, there are many well known and appreciated benefits to be had from its moderate consumption, as members of the Assembly would well know.
Mr Berry: I have read that speech out.
MR HUMPHRIES: I am afraid you have, Mr Berry. And if you have, I am reading it much better than you ever would. It must be recognised that there is a place in Australian society for the responsible and moderate consumption of alcohol. The overall aim of the national health policy on alcohol is instead the minimisation of harm associated with its use. A national health policy on alcohol was developed because, whatever the benefits of alcohol, the harm
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