What Really Grinds My Gears...
Is how the Australian government plans to fix both underage and binge drinking. For those who may have missed it new laws were introduced yesterday allowing the government to put a tax on certain types of alcohol (such as pre-mix drinks as apparently that’s what all our youths drink).
For example before this bright new law existed you were to buy a four pack of Wild Turkeys for $16. As of 7pm last night the price has jumped to $20 for the exact some four pack. For those who are really poor at math that’s a $1 per can increase!
I’m not entirely sure how this is going to stop the great binge drinking dilemma as the price of a bottle of Jim Beam is roughly between $28 and $35 (depending on where you shop) and a bottle of coke can be picked up for around $2. Now instead of the teenagers buying those pesky pre-mix drinks, they will probably start buying entire bottles of spirits which contain a lot more alcohol as it’s no longer that much more expensive. This of course will just lead to even more drunken teenagers running rampant on our streets.
An even worse development would probably be an increase of drug use amongst our teens as you can pick up a many different varieties drugs for minimal cost these days.
The other new law which is to be trialled in Melbourne, Yarra, Stonnington and Port Phillip is 2am pub lock outs. As of 2am Melbourne clubs will not be allowing entry to any patrons into the pubs or clubs.
“Patrons who are already inside a venue will be able to stay after 2am, but they can't leave, and then re-enter.”
So if your local doesn’t have a designated smoking area inside their venue you may be in trouble.
“A government task force has reportedly acted in response to calls from police to clamp down on gangs and young drunks moving from pub to pub and causing trouble.”
I would like to know what the response calls are going to be like now with “gangs” and “young drunks” starting trouble with the bouncers who can’t legally let them in. It will be mayhem especially during the initial few weeks of this “trial”.
Even though the 2am lock out law is only a trial according to many reports it’s safe to say that it will quite probably be put in place.
Good work Parliament.
posted by Brodie @ 2:21 PM
6 Comments:
Yay to the government. I said exactly the same thing the other day about "kids" just buying larger bottles and mixing themselves. Anyway, the new driving laws are going to be just as demented, after the 30th of june, if you get your license you can't carry passengers between 16 and 28...? yeah , so that means more drunk P platers will get behind the wheel because the either have no money for taxi, or are obviously just stupid, leaving the rest of the responsible or innocent late night drivers screwed. So say goodbye to the designated driver, and hello to more drunken public transport users, not to mention for fights, and damage to property.
ive said my bit.
Love Lawree
Amen brother! The kiddies who do want to get pissed quickly and cheaply will have to switch to cask wine (which isn't taxed as much as beer and spirits). Wine comes in fruity flavours too you know! Drugs would be a cheaper alternative.
It's frustrating when this is brought in to target underage girls, considering that 80% of pre-mixed drink purchases are cola-based drinks (that don't "mask" the taste) bought by legal age guys.
The Rudd government looks set to be a leader in "proactive" moves...that is, moving the problem somewhere else. They've already lost my vote, and they haven't even raised the cigarette tax yet.
The increased tax actually applies to all alcohol, not just pre-mixed drinks. It's just that drink companies are increasing the price of pre-mixed drinks and absorbing the cost of the higher tax for all other types of drinks to keep their prices the same. So it's conceivable that in the future it will change, possibly due to more legislation.
Anyway, about the lockout. When I was in Queensland for the OzProg benefit gig I got my first taste of it, because Brisbane has been lockout'd for a while now, and it was an absolute farce. When you've got bands passing heavy musical equipment to each other through the stage door, something's wrong.
They had to get one band member to go outside and be the runner to and from the van, and all the other members would stay inside and hand equipment across the door, but not go outside because if they did they couldn't go back in and get the rest of their stuff. It was fucking ridiculous.
I think it's a good idea in principle (although pushing annoyed drunks into the street will just result in more violence, which Melbourne is already struggling to deal with), but it has to be done smart. As long as live bands are considered "employees" for the nights on which they're playing, and therefore exempt from the lockout, I don't have much of a problem with it.
And since I don't drink that much any more, neither of these new laws really affect me. :D
John Brumby is the biggest knob since Steve Bracks.
I actually heard of this awesome game with wine casks. It's called Goon Bag of Fortune. You fix goon bags around a washing line and then spin it... the one closest to you, you drink. Awesome game no?
I hope that the Government also adds this to their new policy on drinking because they have already come up with so many awesome f*cking policies. Idiots.
Wow. Your right about the bottle thing. Everyone i know just moved onto the bottles...It didnt change anything.
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