Page 1455 - Week 05 - Thursday, 12 May 1994
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I would now like to address the issues that the Government response has addressed. The first one relates to education strategies, which certainly received a great deal of attention in the select committee's report. I guess the one concern that I have is that the committee emphasised the need, I believe the very urgent need, to significantly upgrade the amount of work that is being done in the education area at the present time. In fact, I note in the Government's tabling statement in regard to this report that implementation needs are to be considered in the context of the availability of funds and resources.
I certainly hope that the Government will take on board the sense of urgency which comes across in the committee's report. We need to address education strategies to help young people learn about alcohol and drug consumption at the appropriate stage, whether that be in primary schools, high schools or colleges. I was pleased with the extent of the Government's response on education strategies and, of course, very pleased to see the development of the youth action alcohol plan, which I think has happened since the committee reported. I also believe that education strategies are vital in overcoming the very significant problems that are occurring with binge drinking in our community at the present time. I believe that we need to do much more work in this area. I note from the committee's report that students regard binge drinking as a phase. It was actually suggested that binge drinking was more of a problem for high school students than for college students. With high school students we are looking at young people within the range of 13 to 16 years. We really have a significant problem on our hands in our community.
Statistics provided by the select committee's report indicate that binge drinking still occurs in our community in the adult population between the ages of 35 and 44 years. The report states that 5 per cent of women and 15 per cent of men in that age range binge drink. Madam Speaker, I find these figures quite alarming. It certainly seems to me that we need to do much more to address the issue of binge drinking in young people at perhaps a much younger age before we actually have to turn to the health system and the hospital system further down the track to cope with the alcohol problems as they have developed.
The next issue that I would like to address briefly is the issue of the pubcard, or proof of age card. I note that Mr Moore also has on the notice paper a motion which we will be debating at some stage during the proceedings.
Mr Moore: We might not need to.
MS SZUTY: Mr Moore says that we may not need to, but I would like to address very briefly the issues that are raised by the select committee about the proof of age card and the Government's response. I note, Madam Speaker, that the Government has now indicated that it would support the introduction of a proof of age card in the ACT. I think that that is a very welcome initiative. I certainly support the introduction of a proof of age card, or pubcard, as another means of enabling eligible young people to drink at licensed premises. I noted the very extensive support from many college students of the ACT for the introduction of a proof of age card.
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