Distillers ban daytime advertising

(AAP) - The distilling industry has delivered on a promise to the senator who killed the Rudd government's alcopops tax hike by announcing a year-long ban on television advertising before 9pm.

Family First's Steve Fielding sided with the opposition to vote down the federal
government's 70 per cent alcopops tax increase in the Senate last month because
Labor wouldn't agree to ban alcohol advertising during daytime sports broadcasts.
Distillers are now in line for a tax refund of about $300 million that most of the
industry has pledged to donate to anti-binge drinking programs.
The distilling industry promised Senator Fielding it would introduce a 12-month
voluntary ban on TV advertising if the alcopops bill didn't pass parliament.
"The spirits industry has volunteered to have a year-long ban on all television
advertising of alcohol products if the alcopops bill does not go through," Senator
Fielding told parliament on March 17.
On Thursday, the Distilled Spirits Industry Council of Australia (DSICA), which
represents about 80 per cent of the industry, announced its members would begin
phasing out advertising.
By July 1 this year, DSICA members, including Bacardi Breezer maker Bacardi Lion,
and Jim Beam Brands Australia, won't advertise on TV before 9pm.
DSICA's Stephen Riden said the ban would be evaluated after 12 months to determine
its effectiveness in reducing binge drinking.
"It is hoped this new spirits industry measure should help better understanding of
the relationship between alcohol advertising in sport and the complex issue of
alcohol misuse," he said.
Senator Fielding urged the government to introduce legislation so alcohol ads won't
reappear.
Health Minister Nicola Roxon said the alcopops policy was a successful public health
measure to reduce consumption of the pre-mixed drinks, particularly among young
girls.
"The measure remains good policy and we are examining our legislative options," she
said.
The Brewers Association of Australia and New Zealand did not wish to comment.
Winemakers' Federation of Australia chief executive Stephen Strachan said his
industry did very little advertising during sports programs.
"You can look at all the wine advertising that is out there on the community and we
are just not the problem," he said.
"We're reluctant to make changes when those changes are being forced by the
attitudes and the behaviour of other sectors in the industry."
The government is reportedly considering removing anomalies in the way beer and wine
are taxed to boost revenue, after the defeat of its alcopops tax hike.
Mr Strachan said if the government taxed wine at the same level as beer it would
cost the industry thousands of jobs and boost the price of a bottle of wine by up to
$17.
About 98 per cent of wine would be more expensive, with cask wine jumping about 200
per cent in price, he said.
"If you look at the motive for the RTD (ready-to-drink) tax increase, it was to
address alcohol abuse amongst the lower age categories and wine is just not
represented among the lower age categories," Mr Strachan said.
"If the government wants to deal with that issue putting up the tax on wine will do
absolutely nothing except raise a lot of revenue and strip 5,000 jobs out of the
industry."
The government had not approached the federation about changing wine taxation in the
May budget, Mr Strachan said.
Ms Roxon said she would not be drawn on budget speculation.