Maintain restrictions on alcohol sales

#970 for broadcast on 2CH Sydney, 28 Sep 2014.

There is a very real prospect of Sydney motorists stopping at the servo to fill up on alcohol as well as petrol, with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission recommending that service stations, supermarkets and convenience stores be allowed to sell alcohol, on the grounds that current restrictions are anti-competitive.

But Geoff Munro, National Policy Manager with the Australian Drug Foundation, fears the move could further reduce the price of alcohol, making it more available and cheaper.

Mr Munro said if convenience stores began selling alcohol, fast food stores may follow suit.

He said the issues were more important than competition and the ACCC recommendation was inconsistent with anti-drink driving and underage drinking campaigns.

“We know that more availability and cheaper grog leads to more problems,” he said. “We’re just loading up our society for more problems. This is an avoidable harm.”

On some issues, social responsibility must trump personal freedom.

I’m Rod Benson for the NSW Council of Churches.