FOUR in ten Aussies admit they have drunk so much they’ve vomited and one in five say they’ve driven a car while drunk.

As community concern grows about the nation’s problem with alcohol, half of all Australians now want alcohol taxes increased to pay for alcohol-related treatment and prevention initiatives.

And two thirds want alcohol sponsorship of sport banned and want alcohol sales in supermarkets banned.

The poll by Galaxy Research for the Foundation for Alcohol and Research and Education (FARE) found three in four Australians believe our nation has a problem with alcohol.

And for the first time Australians were asked about how they expected to feel after a drink and to compare it to how they actually felt.

Half of all Australians said they expect to feel happy and relaxed after a drink but in reality only 28 per cent actually felt happy, 17 per cent were sick, 13 per cent felt regret and 29 per cent felt tired.

The days of the six o’clock swill are over but alcohol is still a huge part of our culture.

Nearly eight in ten Australians consume alcohol with wine (33 per cent) the most common beverage of choice followed by beer (20 per cent) and spirits (15 per cent).

FARE Chief Executive Michael Thorn says the alcohol industry is fast finding itself out of step with community attitudes wanting change to Australia’s unhealthy relationship with booze.

And in the midst of an election campaign he said the poll contains an important message for political leaders.

“Each year it consistently delivers three very clear messages: that Australians recognise we have a problem with alcohol in this country, that a clear majority support the evidence based solutions which will reduce the harms, and that they want governments to embrace meaningful reform,” Mr Thorn said.

FARE Director of Policy and Research Caterina Giorgi says while alcohol industry advertising might try hard to suggest that Australians will find happiness, popularity and attractiveness in every bottle, the reality for most Australians is very different.

“They tend to buy into the alcohol industry advertising spin. The reality is very different, with drinkers far more likely to have experienced negative consequences, and far less likely to have felt happy or relaxed,” Ms Giorgi said.

Nearly one in three Australians have been affected by alcohol-related violence, six in ten Australians regard the city centre to be unsafe on a Saturday night, and 23 per cent of parents say their children have been harmed or put at risk because of someone else’s drinking, the poll found.

FARE says alcohol is responsible for 15 deaths and 430 hospitalisations every day.

To help solve the problem 70 per cent of Australians support a ban on alcohol advertising on television before 8:30pm, and eight in ten people want alcohol sales in pubs and clubs banned after 3am.