Hockey: There is no drinking problem

Shadow Health Minister Joe Hockey has told Sky News Australia "most Australians are very responsible when it comes to alcohol consumption" and "we have to stop pointing the finger at young Australians, in saying they are consistent binge drinkers, they are not". He said Australia should focus more on illegal drugs as "over the last few years young people have turned to drugs, because alcohol has either become more expensive or its been harder to access".

Source: Sky News

Man arrested over strip-club shooting

Aaron Sindoni, a 23 year-old man from Pascoe Vale, was arrested this afternoon by Victoria Police. The arrest followed the shooting of a security guard, 43 year-old Sede Ferry, outside Larry Flint's Hustler Club in Brunswick at 1.50am this morning. Mr Sindoni will appear in Melbourne Magistrate's Court on Monday.

Source: Herald Sun

New Bar: Sweatshop

Deck of Secrets is reporting that the planned basement level of the recently opened Seamstress bar, Sweatshop, is now open. "The stripped back décor and raw appeal make it a more casual alternative to its more formal siblings and likely to attract a younger [crowd]."

Source: Deck of Secrets

Catholics back Fielding

The Catholic church has yesterday backed plans for a ban on alcohol advertising before 9pm. The Australian Catholic bishop's conference is quoted in The Age as saying "Consuming alcohol is an adult activity and deciding to consume alcohol should be an adult decision."

Source: The Age

New Bar: Maha

Opening yesterday, Melbourne's newest Middle Eastern Bar and Grill, Maha, claims it will provide a "new concept" to Melbourne. Maha is opening into the late evenings to allow for the Arabic custom of Sa'hra - food will be served from 11pm to 3am on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Situated on Bond Street, close to Bond Bar, Deck of Secrets says the interior is "a seductive blend of chocolate coloured wall seating with striped backs, lattice-style screens, wooden tables and sophisticated dark wood paneling".

Source: Official website, Press Release [PDF] & Deck of Secrets.

Place your drunken bets before December

Under ammendments to the Gaming Act being introduced from December 1, it will be an offence for Tabcorp to knowingly accept bets from anyone who is intoxicated. A Tabcorp spokesperson said the change would apply to almost 100 TABs in Victoria.

Source: Herald Sun

Industry with the highest alcoholism: Hospitality

15% of hospitality workers and 14.7% of construction and mining workers in the United States have problems with alcohol. The report from George Washington University Medical Center uses 2006 data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health and the National Comorbidity Survey to gauge the effects of alcohol dependence and abuse in 13 industry sectors.

It suggests the key ingredients for alcohol problems in an industry are young people and men - which make up larger than average proportions of the hospitality and construction industries, respectively.

Source: Wichita Business Journal

Wayne Carey a poster boy for what drinking does

Andrew Denton, host of the ABC's Enough Rope interview program, has said about his most recent interview; "If there's a two-word summary for this interview, it's the phrase of the moment: binge drinking. Wayne Carey, whether he likes it or not, is now the poster boy for what binge drinking does to people."

Enough Rope will broadcast on the ABC, Monday at 9:35pm.

Source: The Age

Diageo criticises Fosters and Lion Nathan

Diageo, which has an estimated third of the $668 million super-strength "alcopops" market, has defended its decision to continue to sell Smirnoff Ice Double Black, which has an energy additive.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported Diageo's corporate affairs director, Ron Ainsbury, saying Smirnoff's caffeine levels were in line with those in soft drinks and made a clear attack at Fosters for their decision to drop energy additives. He went on to say "Why don't [Fosters] get out of marketing their beer with the Boony doll which is aimed at children?"

Fosters' spokesperson, Troy Hey, said he was disappointed by Diageo's comments. He denied the Boony "figurine" was targeting children and said it aimed at "adult cricket watchers".

Source: Sydney Morning Herald

Smoking bans not killing pubs

The Sydney Morning Herald's MySmallBusiness section has a piece on Victorian pubs and bars have been affected by the smoking bans introduced last year. "Nine months on, most of the state's pubs and hotels have adjusted to the smoking ban, with some reportedly even prospering."

Source: Sydney Morning Herald