According to the Northern Territory Law Society, pubs, bars and breweries should be stopped from sponsoring sport. The Society reports that alcohol abuse in the Territory has reached crisis point and is putting an enormous strain on the justice system.
Society president Matthew Storey said that similar bans on tobacco sponsorship of sport reduced the number of people smoking so it should be applied to alcohol as well. He said, “It’s really not rocket science to know that alcohol companies primarily sponsor sport to increase alcohol sales…What we’re about is reducing the consumption of alcohol.”
He warned that this ban would displease pub, bars and some sporting groups but the government should not ignore the state of alcohol abuse. Several sports are propped up by alcohol companies - Carlton Mid-Strength sponsors the Darwin Cup Carnival and Heineken the Hottest 7s rugby union tournament. And at least three V8 championship teams are backed by alcohol companies. However the Society bases its recommendations on the serious alcohol related statistics that show that Australians take in twice the global average of alcohol per capita - and Territorians are 50 per cent higher again.
Territorians spend $4,000 a year per adult on alcohol - four times the per capita average. They have the highest level of hazardous alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems in the world. Alcohol-related crime costs the Territory $90 million a year and accounts for 40 per cent of policing expenses.
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