Everybody blames advertising and/or the Government but the problem is the people/adults.

How many times have we attended barbeques or dinners where the children are present and seen parents bring enough drink to drown themselves in. Not just a couple of drinks to drink with dinner or to feel a bit relaxed, as would be sensible, but enough to put them under the table and they walk in boasting as to just how under the table they are going to be and they manage to write themselves off in front of their kids.

Children live and learn and they are a product of their environment. If we want children to learn not to drink in excess the adults have to set the example and it should start at home.

Maybe adults should start having alcohol free barbeques/dinners so that the kids can see that you don't NEED alcohol for it to be a party or to have a good time.

Parents need to teach their children by example - sure have a few drinks but be sensible and smart if you want your children to also make good choices. Children learn by example.

It is time to change our culture.

Children who are raised in a european like atmosphere where alcohol is part of life and drank wisely, where children have occassional small drinks as they grow older, do not get into the heavy binge drinking.

I grew up like this and those I have met who grew up like this, all avoided the binge drinking. There is nothing to rebel against, nothing that is exciting to try out and see why it is so bad, so evil as it was part of our lives.

Stop making it such a big deal, make it part of life in a controlled environment. Time for lazy incompetant parents who don't really give a stuff to wake up.

The grog has ruined more people's lives in our little country town than any other drug, legal or not.
It killed my grandfather .
It killed most of my Aboriginal friends and is still killing their children.
By the same token it has relieved the boredom and enlivened the lives and minds of many , as they try to extract something out of life that is not found easily - uncluttered, if fleeting,uninhibited happiness.
We should not need it , we don't need it, but it is there for us .

It’s a great paradox Kartiya.

So what do we do? How do we regulate it?

Is it fair and reasonable to make restrictions in Aboriginal communities different, and a whole lot stronger, than in so-called mainstream Australian society?

How do we get people to control their booze intake, when we suspect or know that they are overindulging, especially when they are perfectly happy to continue overindulging, and strongly resist change?

How do we wean our society off this alcohol dependence? How do we overcome peer pressure to drink every time we are out with our mates?

And a million more questions.