A report into the prevention and treatment of alcohol-related harm released Thursday June 23rd of June calls for both the minimum drinking age and the cost of alcohol to be raised, while placing further restrictions on liquor outlets, licensed venues and alcohol advertising.
The report appears to be based primarily on the belief that WA is the highest consumer of alcohol in the country and 10th in the world per capita.
What the report fails to acknowledge in its broad brush strokes is that the practices of pubs, clubs in West Australia's capital are among the toughest in the country. With an accord process that kicked off in Fremantle in 1995 WA has lead the nation in reducing alcohol related harm.
Much like the misconception that Perth is the boom city there appears to be a common belief that Perth is a huge consumer of alcohol. This is caused by grouping all of the alcohol sales for this vast state into one figure and then dividing it to produce a per capita figure then designing laws (which by location are easier to enforce in the city). Much like the 'boom' a lot of this consumption is above the 26th parallel
Given the amount of mining activity in the states north along with the number of fly in fly out workers, at risk aboriginal populations and the heat, the states north west has been long known as a high consumer of alcohol. Additionally the state in recent times has had periods when the temperature has peaked in the high 30's and 40's for weeks on end. During these periods massive amounts of alcohol is shipped to the states harshest areas, but sometimes it is just good fun to compare other states and countries with the worlds most isolated.
It is a ridiculous concept to consider radical statewide alcohol law reform in a state with a well run and respected Department of Liquor Licensing when that state is 15 times the size of the UK.
Today a winter day in Western Australia sees the maximum temperature for the day range from 12C to 29C yes 29C in winter... To have effective consideration for the laws in such a vast state the statistics must be broken up into postcodes or at the least zones. I am quite confident that Nedlands and Subiaco with their 6009 and 6008 postcodes and white collar workers will be consuming less alcohol today than post codes kununurra and Derby's 6728 and 6743.
The final insult... to suggest that the problems lie with a cosy relationship between the industry and the Department of Liquor Licensing is offensive. This state by comparison to the rest of the nation has extraordinarily harsh laws and regulations.
(Note to academics):
1/ If you visit Derby and Kununurra don't wear shirt and tie people will laugh at you.
2/ On a map it looks like a short distance but like the postcodes they are a long way away.
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