ARTICLES
Children’s Health Hit for Six as Industry Fails to Regulate Alcohol Ads
By Julia Stafford; Julia is a Research Fellow in Health Sciences, Curtin University and
Hannah Pierce; Hannah is a Research Associate, also at Curtin University
Alcohol ads can be broadcast during sports on weekends and public holidays. [shutterstock.com]
Some State and Territory governments, such as WA, have taken
notice of the evidence and removed alcohol ads from public
transport, however, the Australian Government must take action
to protect children and young people’s health.
At the time of writing Australia was kicking off another summer
of cricket, so if watching the series was a family affair, you may
be concerned with the alcohol advertisements your children are
being exposed to.
An extensive body of research indicates that exposure to alcohol
advertising negatively impacts the drinking behaviours and
attitudes of young people. Those who have greater exposure to
alcohol marketing are more likely to start drinking earlier, and
binge drink.
How is the placement of alcohol advertising
regulated?
Before 2017, the industry-managed Alcohol Beverages
Advertising Code (ABAC) Scheme did not cover the placement
of alcohol ads. The only restrictions came from the Outdoor
Media Association (OMA) to limit alcohol ads on billboards or
fixed signs to outside a 150-metre sight line of a school gate, and
the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice (CTICP).
We assessed the potential impact of rules introduced by the
alcohol industry in November 2017 to regulate the placement of
alcohol advertising, and we found these rules have so far been
unlikely to protect young people, while most complaints directed
to the regulator have been dismissed.
The CTICP places some restrictions on when alcohol can be
advertised on TV, but allows ads to be broadcast during sports
on weekends and public holidays.
In 2012, the now-defunct Australian National Preventive
Health Agency (ANPHA) reviewed the effectiveness of alcohol
advertising regulation. Their final report was released under
Freedom of Information laws in 2015. Unfortunately, the review
had little impact. The Australian Government never formally
released the final report, nor responded to it.
Previous research has found high levels of exposure to alcohol
advertising during televised sport in Australia. In 2012, children
under 18 years received 51 million exposures via sport on TV.
42
SCIENCE EDUCATIONAL NEWS VOL 68 NO 1