Lyn Allison (Victoria, Australian Democrats) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Ellison, the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Ageing. Earlier this year, Minister Pyne said it was ‘naive and dangerous’ to suggest that alcohol kills more people than illegal drugs. Why does the minister not admit that alcohol is second only to tobacco as the leading cause of death and hospitalisation? Why does he not admit that 3,000 Australians die every year due to alcohol abuse compared with 1,000 deaths from illegal drugs, and that alcohol abuse costs $1.2 billion a year and an unknown number of assaults, rapes and cases of domestic violence? Minister, a report this week says that one in eight Australians is at risk of alcohol related brain injury. When will your government stop being soft on alcohol, or is it only Indigenous drinking that your government is concerned about?