WA leads push for health warnings on alcohol packaging

The Western Australian Government will take a strong stand in favour of mandatory health advisory warnings on alcohol packaging at tomorrow's Food Regulation Ministerial Council meeting in Melbourne.

Parliamentary Secretary to the WA Health Minister, John Hyde, said that the Prime Minister and State Premiers had asked the council to consider the mandatory warnings at the last COAG meeting in March.

"You can't be dinkum about health prevention unless you're seriously tackling alcohol misuse," Mr Hyde said.

"WA would like to see a strong national approach to reducing alcohol abuse and mandatory labelling is an important step forward.

"Binge drinking and the related health problems are a major issue.

"Between 1997 and 2005, 3,975 Western Australians died from alcohol-related causes.

"In 2006, caring for people who had to be admitted to hospital as an in-patient for a condition caused by excessive alcohol consumption cost the WA community more than $33million alone.

"This does not include other alcohol-related costs incurred when people present to hospital emergency departments such as those injured in road accidents or assaults.

"In February, the WA Government launched a $530,000 advertising and partnership campaign to encourage people to rethink their drinking habits."

Mr Hyde said it was important for Food Standards Australia New Zealand to develop an evidence-based policy for warnings used on alcohol packaging so those most at risk would be forced to reflect on the dangers of drinking.

"As a priority, we need to target anti-alcohol messages strongly to pregnant women," Mr Hyde said.