Comments on: Alcohol sales in Alice dropped 12% between 2004 and 2011, but mail orders, online purchases not included

By: Russell Guy

Russell Guy — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 23:33:34 +0000

Janet @ August 7. It is liquor that makes alcoholics. Your stated supply seems to qualify. The fewer alcoholics in Alice, the more productivity likely. It’s your economic formula that requires attention, not NT Labor.

By: Janet Brown

Janet Brown — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 22:28:00 +0000

What sort of man finds delight in the abuse of women, Bob? No problem with your reply was there.

By: Bob Durnan

Bob Durnan — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 14:26:07 +0000

Re Janet Brown (Posted August 7, 2012 at 6:13 pm): bravo Janet, encore, encore. What sort of stingy cook would even contemplate trying to get by on only one bottle of sherry per night!

By: Janet Brown

Janet Brown — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 08:43:24 +0000

I buy my supplies via Booze Bros in Adelaide. I order $300+ and it is free shipping so I bulk buy wines in casks and cooking sherries. Also other supplies.
The only booze I buy in town is beer. Almost 90% of people I know buy bulk from other suppliers. So I am forced to support businesses interstate. I will not be bullied into waiting till 6 pm to buy cooking wines, a bottle at a time and per day. I find it laughable that propaganda is so easy to spread to the masses with out all the variables. If I cannot find what I need in town or I am forced to find another way to obtain goods I require, guess what, I have access to the Internet and more than a few businesses in other states are more than happy to provide.
So that financial loss to local business will always impact on our economy. This government is really smart: remove money from the Territory and assist other states’ economy. Well done, Labor.

By: Russell Guy

Russell Guy — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 03:02:27 +0000

It appears that this decline in cheap wine is attributed to the voluntary accord on a floor price raising the cost of a standard drink in Alice Springs, while the NT News editorial yesterday reported a small decline in the number of cartons of beer sold in the NT.
Apart from the good news regarding evidence of a floor price as sound alcohol management policy, neither of the two NT parties have announced that they will follow the UK, Scotland, Ireland and New Zealand in moving closer to this. It would seem a good opportunity in responsible government for either, if not both, NT parties to announce their intention to do this in the run-up to the election.

Lest some readers think that the alcohol industry will take this laying down, they might be interested to learn that the first report of the Alcohol Advertising Review Board has just been released in which it investigated numerous public complaints into products like ‘Woodstock Bourbon Calendar Babes’, ‘Skinnygirl Cocktails’, ‘Pom Pom’ and ‘Electric Pink,’ Jim Beam and Jack Daniels’ sponsorship of V8 Supercars, Smirnoff Vodka’s sponsorship of ‘Groovin’ the Moo’ music festival and ‘Jim Beam on Campus’, all targeting young people, with inadequate warnings on their labels.
In December 2011, Australian and New Zealand Food and Health Ministers recommended that the alcohol industry be given two years to voluntarily implement alcohol warning labels, after which time the government would move to mandate pregnancy alcohol warning labels.
As Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) has been recognised by teachers in the Kimberley, WA, region as an incoming classroom issue, this is not before time.
What concerns me is that the Country Liberals appear to be intent on dismantling current alcohol supply restrictions in the NT. A proven floor price supply restriction and FASD do not seem to be of concern to Terry Mills in his management plan. Correct me if I’m wrong, Terry.