Calls for states to change alcohol laws ahead of women’s ministers meeting

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Ministers for women will meet in Canberra and online today with the federal, state and territory governments to deliver updates on how they plan to address recommendations of a rapid review into how to stop violence against women and children.

Transcript

00:00The Rapid Review was established in 2024.

00:05It delivered its recommendations over a year ago, last August.

00:08In fact, the August before last August.

00:11And it included 21 recommendations,

00:13including things like national media reporting guidelines

00:15for violence against women,

00:16but also things like restricting under-18s accessing pornography,

00:21essentially, online,

00:22stopping them from accessing that kind of material.

00:24It recommended a full gambling ad ban.

00:27We know that that's something that the federal government

00:28has been under pressure on before that and, frankly, since.

00:32And it also included recommendations for the states and territories

00:35to include...to rather change how they licence alcohol venues

00:41and also impose delays specifically on alcohol home delivery.

00:45That was one of the key recommendations,

00:47including things like a two-hour delay

00:48from ordering on your phone or online and delivery to the home.

00:52The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has found that,

00:55you know, alcohol and drugs are a risk factor

00:57when it comes to violence against women and children.

01:00And that incidents involving alcohol are more likely to result

01:03in injury, which is obviously a pretty, you know, terrible outcome.

01:08And so that's why that was recommended by this panel.

01:12So, Claudia, why are the advocates frustrated

01:13with the states and territories in particular on this issue?

01:17So, because states and territories are the ones who,

01:20in the main, regulate alcohol and liquor licensing

01:23and also regulation and things like that.

01:25So, we've heard from Jess Hill.

01:27She is an advocate and also an industry professor at UTS

01:30looking at gendered violence and violence against children.

01:34And she was actually on the rapid review panel

01:36that was working on this issue last year.

01:38And she says that while there has been progress in some areas,

01:41like a federal government audit of how systems could be used

01:44by perpetrators to further victimise people,

01:47there has been little action on this alcohol measure.

01:50Now, that's not the case for every state and territory.

01:53The ACT, she noted, has put forward legislation on this.

01:57South Australia has proposed rules too.

01:59But at the moment, it looks like they won't sit again in South Australia

02:03before the next state election there.

02:06So, advocates are quite frustrated by that.

02:08We also heard from the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education

02:11who've said that this issue is one they're particularly concerned about,

02:14particularly when it comes to alcohol delivery to the home late at night

02:18or really rapid delivery to the home at any time of the day.

02:22Now, women's ministers are meeting as we speak.

02:24We're expecting to hear from them early this afternoon.

02:27Claudia Long, thanks for the update.

02:28And if this story has raised any issues for you,

02:31you can get help by calling

02:32the National Sexual Assault and Family Violence Counselling Helpline

02:35on 1800RESPECT, which is 1800 737 732.

02:40So, we'll see you next time.

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