Link between sports ads and alcohol violence

#1132 for broadcast on 2CH Sydney, 27 Sep 2015

NSW Premier Mike Baird told an audience of over 700 people last week that he opposes alcohol advertising appearing on the uniform of Australia’s cricket team.

Baird was speaking at a fundraising event for the Thomas Kelly Youth Foundation, named in memory of 18-year-old Thomas Kelly, who was fatally injured as a result of being punched in an unprovoked, alcohol-fuelled attack in Kings Cross in 2012.

Mr Baird believes more needs to be done to address alcohol-fuelled violence, and he certainly seems to get things done. His discussions with Cricket Australia appear to have resulted in the absence of alcohol-related advertising during the latest Big Bash competition.

What might happen with respect to Victorian Bitter’s sponsorship of the NSW State of Origin team remains to be seen.

As well as restricting alcohol advertising, the NSW Council of Churches supports harm minimisation measures such as earlier pub closing times, lock-outs, and raising the legal drinking age.

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