Underage Drinking in Australia

If you think underage drinking in the U.S. is bad enough, wait till you see statistics of underage drinking in Australia. Survey shows that in South Australia alone, over 85% of children aged 12 – 17 have had alcohol and a lot of them have engaged in harmful drinking behaviours.[1]

Australians seem to have a fairly positive view on underage drinking. In 2009, a survey of 1200 adults said that they approve of underage drinking. These Australian adults say that it is ok for children aged 15- 17 years old to drink at home even if it is gravely discouraged by national officials. What is even more startling is that while people in the U.S. are exerting arduous efforts in stopping underage drinking, a separate study further proved that parents in Australia even encourage their children to drink.[2]

However, the Australian government is making a huge effort in order to prevent underage drinking. In 2007, the NSW liquor act was launched which contained policies concerning the consumption of alcohol by minors. Under this law, minors are allowed to consume alcohol in private places or in a public place as long as he or she is under the supervision of a parent or a legal guardian. What is clear is that the Australian government apparently entrusts the control of underage drinking to parents.

That is why many concerned individuals blame parents for providing their children with alcohol and they have been the target of recent underage drinking campaigns in Australia. Under such programs, parents are taught how to be aggressive in finding information about the effects of alcohol on the brain. They have sought parents’ support in promoting publicly that the introduction of alcohol to children must be delayed.[3]

The effects of underage drinking in Australia are slowly being felt by its citizens. In Melbourne alone, more than 2500 minors have died from incidents involving alcohol between 1993 and 2002. [4]These numbers are expected to rise and the long-term effects of alcohol on children are gradually being unravelled as the years pass. Australia needs to be prepared to take resolute action immediately if they intend overcoming the most serious consequences of underage drinking.