mouthing off
Virginia trioli \ All fAll down
I
f only I could truly describe the drinking I have seen. levels that put them at risk of lifetime harm from injury I have seen young women so drunk they are on the or disease. verge of unconsciousness, utterly unaware that half Note that the organisation releasing these distressing their clothing has fallen off them, leaving them naked figures is the council on drugs. We simply refuse to and pathetically vulnerable. I have seen young men acknowledge that alcohol is potentially as dangerous helplessly vomiting into gutters while their mates a drug as many others and demonstrably costs literally howled like wolves around them. Living us more in health, monetary and social terms. it’s near a pub as I have for many years, I have We’ve all heard the hypocrisy line from our time to seen intoxication levels that are frankly mad – argumentative teens: that drugs are outlawed admit that except for the fact that they are bog-standard while booze is freely available. Well, I reckon it’s killing common. Just another Australian night out they’ve got a point. us with friends and family where if you don’t drink Like many others, I’m close to complete until you fall over you didn’t have a good night. capitulation over the entrenched and quite This is what we do, it’s what we do all the time, and terrifying drinking behaviour that is not just a part it’s time to admit that it’s killing us. of our culture, but must finally be admitted actually IS This week, the Australian National Council on our culture. Drugs released figures on youth drinking that should And we are all a part of it. It took until a friend be to our eternal shame. Figures that show a staggering admitted she was an alcoholic and started to openly deal one in eight deaths of young people can be attributed with it for me to realise just how my behaviour is part of to alcohol; that nearly two-thirds of people under 29 the problem: when someone around you stops drinking surveyed said they drank specifically to get drunk; that you finally realise how much of an alcohol pusher you half of all alcohol-related road injuries involve young are. I caught myself again and again saying, “Oh, come people. And that 20 per cent of Australians now drink at on, have a drink” to friends and visitors, unable to let
their demurral go by without … what? An argument from me? Why would I argue with someone who didn’t want to drink? A good question. I chose to change, and I hope I have now shrugged off the reflexive Australian gesture to want to pour booze down everyone’s necks. John Herron, the former federal health minister and now chairman of the council, spoke with real exasperation about how we Australians simply cannot come together for anything without alcohol – in birth, death, celebration, commemoration, commiseration. I felt defeated by my own complicity when I heard that. That’s me. Is it you, too? Do you ever sit down in celebration with friends, family and not have a drink? Are we that addicted? It’s a dreadful environment in which to raise young people, and that, I believe, is the biggest challenge. When we make alcohol and its excessive use normal, then the battle to improve our health and ensure the safety of young people is over before it begins. The Christmas season is about to begin: think about that amid all the tidings of comfort and joy. \
Virginia Trioli is co-host of ABC News Breakfast on ABC1 and ABC News 24, 6-9am weekdays.
Follow Virginia on Twitter @ latrioli
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OPEN DAYS NOV 30 & DEC 1 1-4PM
Rylands of Brighton Open Days. The Buxton family invites you to celebrate inspiring gardens and landscapes with renowned gardening author, Anne Latreille. Anne will share insights from her latest book, ‘Garden Voices’, together with Cruden Farm and more, at 3pm on our Open Days.
Saturday, November 30 & Sunday December 1, 2013 Take a tour of our freehold strata title apartments and enter the draw for a $250 Gill’s Nursery voucher. Tours: 1.00pm to 4.00pm for apartments selling now - includes afternoon tea.
1300 204 032 rylandsofbrighton.com.au
95 Outer Crescent, Middle Brighton RYBU0028
NOVEMBER 27, 2013 \ The weekly review 3