Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has acknowledged a link between alcohol and family and domestic violence, as advocates warn of an expected spike during the rugby league State of Origin series. Source: Canberra Times.
“There is a link, of course we know, between alcohol, excessive alcohol consumption and domestic violence, most tragically,” Mr Albanese told the Parliament yesterday.
Independent Warringah MP Zali Steggall had used Question Time to raise statistics showing women and children in NSW are almost 40 per cent more likely to experience domestic violence by men watching, or after, an Origin game.
Australian studies showed police-recorded assaults and emergency presentations dramatically increased in Victoria around the AFL grand final and Melbourne Cup. And domestic violence assaults increased more than 40 per cent in NSW following the State of Origin.
“I accept completely the startling statistics that the member raised with me earlier today about a spike that will occur when a major sporting event like the State of Origin game … is held,” Mr Albanese said. “Violence against women is indeed a national crisis.”
The first game of the three-match series between NSW and Queensland is next Wednesday.
“Alcohol and gambling are known drivers of domestic violence and government violence prevention frameworks in Australia have been reluctant to tackle multi-billion-dollar alcohol and gambling industries,” Ms Steggall said.
She asked the prime minister: “When will your government take greater steps to regulate these harmful industries to keep Australian women save in this national crisis and encourage greater prevention strategies and sporting codes like the NRL?”
Mr Albanese said the solutions to alcohol-related violence “are not simple”.
“We don’t have barriers in this country to people having a beer or a glass of wine,” he said. “We need to make sure that we put in place measures that do make a difference.”
The Albanese government has allocated $3.4 billion over successive budgets for its plan to end family and domestic violence in Australia.
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PM acknowledges alcohol’s role in domestic violence (By Dana Daniel, Canberra Times)
