AMA(WA) welcomes strong parliamentary report - now for action

Western Australia must now tackle the next major area of public health reform – the negative impact of alcohol on our society, the AMA(WA) said.
 
Welcoming the Legislative Assembly Education and Health Standing Committee’s report on alcohol, AMA(WA) President A/Prof David Mountain said it was a substantial investigation into the impact of alcohol abuse in WA society and was a good start for further reform.
 
“Most importantly, we need to  ensure that alcohol is not cheaper than bottled water,” he said.
 
“The report makes a large number of recommendations and we are looking forward to being part of the debate about how WA should handle the massive negative impacts of alcohol,” AMA (WA) President A/Prof David Mountain said.
 
The AMA (WA) strongly endorsed the target of reducing per capita consumption over the next four year from 12.45 litres to less than 10 litres. 
 
“Doctors are at the front line of the problems created by this issue and are faced every day with handling the impact of alcohol abuse – whether it be in hospital emergency departments on a Saturday night, advising an alcoholic patient over the longer term or handling cancer related issues”, he said.
 
“Many of the problems created by the abuse of alcohol are left to doctors and other medical professionals to clean up, often facing violence when they do so,” he said.
 
 “It is vital that all parts of WA society work together to reduce the negative impact of alcohol abuse. It is also important that we find a way to ensure that alcohol is not cheaper than bottled water,” A/Prof Mountain said.
 
While some of the recommendations will require discussion by the AMA(WA) Council, the AMA(WA) strongly welcomed many of its recommendations, including the phasing out of alcohol sponsorship of sporting bodies and greater controls on alcohol advertising.
 
The AMA(WA) especially welcomed the recommendations relating to increasing resources for the Drug and Alcohol Office and Healthway.
 
A/Prof Mountain congratulated the Committee’s Chairman, Dr Janet Wollard, MP., for the Committee’s work.
 
“We now have a substantial report with a large number of wide-ranging recommendations. The AMA(WA) now looks forward to assisting in making substantial steps to help tackle this major social issue.”