Steve Fielding (Victoria, Family First Party) Share this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Is the minister aware of the following statistics? Underage drinkers currently contribute $216 million per year to the coffers of the liquor industry. Alcohol related admissions to Victorian hospital emergency rooms have risen by 10 per cent for females and five per cent for males in the last decade. It costs Australia $15.3 billion every year to mop up the damage caused by excessive alcohol consumption. Why is the government not prepared to do the hard yards by closing the crazy loophole allowing for the advertising of alcohol on television at any time of the day and also by introducing warning labels as soon as it can? Is it because the government is blind drunk on alcohol revenue?