Australian National Preventive Health Agency advised removing alcohol ads on television before 8.30pm during live sport on weekends and public holidays

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

A government report never before made public recommends extensive reforms to alcohol advertising, including the scrapping of regulatory provisions that expose children to alcohol advertising on television.

Before being abolished last year under the former prime minister Tony Abbott the Australian National Preventive Health Agency gave the government its expert findings on the effectiveness of alcohol advertising regulatory codes in protecting children.

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It made 30 recommendations, including removing an exemption that allows the advertising of alcohol on free-to-air television before 8.30pm during live sport broadcasts on weekends and public holidays. Pay TV alcohol advertising practices should also be brought into line with free-to-air TV, the report said.

The government should legislate to control alcohol advertising and marketing if the industry failed to voluntarily remove the live sports broadcast exemption, the agency recommended.

The Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (Fare) has been requesting the report from the government for the past year. On 4 September, the foundation lodged a freedom of information request, and the report was subsequently released to it on 12 October.

The chief executive of Fare, Michael Thorn, said it was “inexcusable” that the government had not taken any action on the recommendations, given they came from its own advisory group. The agency recommended a progress report, on how well the recommendations were being implemented, be carried out by the end of this year.

Thorn described the provisions that allowed alcohol advertising during live sports broadcasts on weekends as a “loophole” being exploited by alcohol advertisers to target children.

“If we have the government’s principal health advisory body saying that alcohol advertising is bad, one would hope that the government might act at a time when the industry is actively moving to expose children to even greater levels of alcohol advertising,” Thorn said.

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In March, industry regulator Free TV Australia proposed changes to the commercial television industry code of practice which, if implemented, would allow alcohol advertising to be shown from 7.30pm, and before 7.30pm during sports broadcasts on weekends including Friday nights and public holidays.



The Australian Communications and Media Authority is currently reviewing the proposed changes following a period of public consultation.

The chief executive of Free TV, Julie Flynn, denied the rules around alcohol advertising in sport provided a loophole for alcohol advertisers to target children, and said the regulations were implemented to reflect viewing demographics and community standards.

“Free TV maintains a number of stringent regulations in relation to alcohol advertising,” Flynn said.

“Commercial radio, pay TV and online operators do not have to comply with any scheduling restrictions in relation to alcohol advertising. Any further alcohol advertising restrictions would lead to regulatory bypass – ads will simply move to those platforms which are subject to less onerous restrictions.”

Free TV was “the safest place for accessing content,” she added.

The assistant health minister, Fiona Nash, said the release of the report had been “overlooked,” and said it was largely the same as the draft.

“I do have concerns around the advertising of alcohol during sporting events, which is watched by many children,” Nash said.

“However the issue around it is genuinely complex and more research and work is required. Recent evidence shows positive indications that many young people have been heeding warnings against excessive alcohol consumption.”

The proportion of young people consuming alcohol has decreased significantly in recent years.

According to the most recent Australian Secondary Students Alcohol and Drug Survey (Assad) report in 2011:

• The proportion of 12 to 15-year-olds drinking in the week before the survey (current drinkers) decreased significantly between 2008 (17%) and 2011 (11%).

• Similarly, the proportion of 16 and 17-year-olds drinking in the week before the survey in 2011 (33%) was significantly lower than the proportion found in 2005 (47%) and 2008 (38%).

• The 2013 National Drug Strategy Household Survey also showed fewer 12 to 17-year-olds drinking alcohol, and those abstaining increasing significantly between 2010 and 2013, from 64% to 72%.