Nicola Roxon (Gellibrand, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Health and Ageing) Share this | Hansard source

It is appropriate for the interjections to be raised about middle age drinking as well. If the member wants to wait until I complete my answer I will be able to deal with the questions that have been raised. We regard this as a very serious issue. We know that alcohol, tobacco and obesity are the three biggest risk factors for three of the biggest killers in the country, whether it be cancer, cardiovascular disease, car accidents or the increasing rate of diabetes. All of us in this House would do well to think about the way we might not only set good examples for young people but also encourage other interventions which will help tackle this serious problem within the community.

We know that some of the immediate health effects can be loss of consciousness, fits and alcohol poisoning and we know of the much more common symptoms of diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting. But many people are not aware of the long-term damage that can be caused to the small bowel, the central nervous system, the liver and the brain. This is a serious health problem. For some reason we have seen a massive increase in the number of young people who have taken on binge drinking as their form of entertainment. We all need to be involved in finding the solutions. Government can do a certain amount. The communities which are already actively engaged and the parents who fundamentally need to be involved in the way that we take on and handle this issue—

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