Smoking/Drinking at the Beach

After this extremely hot Sydney weather we have been having at the moment, I thought it was fitting to talk about the rules, laws and regulations in relation to smoking and drinking at the beach. There is a lot of uncertainty and lack of knowledge on this matter and after some research, it is time to outline exactly what is allowed and what isn't allowed on NSW beaches.

At this present moment, in terms of smoking cigarettes at the beach, it varies between councils and states. A mixture of local government and state action has actually led to widespread banning and restrictions on smoking at numerous Australian beaches. The particular states that have actually enacted legislation to make smoking illegal include Queensland (in 2005) and Western Australia (2010). The fact that these are the only 2 states in the whole of Australia is dreadful. I believe that this practice should be completely outlawed on our beaches as they are public places where families attend. It is impossible to escape the smell and is very selfish and disrespectful to other beachgoers. Despite the lack of legislation in NSW for example, there are council regulations in place, e.g. Manly council have placed a ban on smoking at their public beaches. Manly council was actually the second council in the world to legislate a smoking ban on a public beach through council regulations (2004). Since then 14 NSW councils have adopted these same bans. I think that this pro-activeness needs to be mirrored throughout the country or even introducing Commonwealth legislation to provide nationwide bans on smoking at beaches in NSW and eradicate this disgusting behaviour. So therefore, to sum up, smoking at beaches is usually banned, but it ultimately depends on the council the beach resides in.

Furthermore, the drinking of alcohol is also prohibited on most public beaches across NSW councils (such as Manly) and people who do so, can be fined. This means that you cannot drink on the actual beach, but there are areas on the parkside near the beaches that are not prohibited in some councils. Again, this rule and law applies in a council to council basis (as some councils allow for drinking at the beach with the required permit). I believe that both these laws need to be enforced, as it has been reported that most councils have not issued any fines since the inception of the rules. Thus, certain measures need to be in place/introduced to combat these behaviours.

Reference for Text:
http://www.tobaccoinaustralia.org.au/chapter-15-smokefree-environment/15-5-outdoor-areas

Reference for Images:
http://resources3.news.com.au/images/2010/12/25/1225976/190511-beach-smoking.gif
http://www.lbknews.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/beer_on_the_beach_Wallpaper_r86or2.jpg

Drinking Age: 18 or 21?

I have recently stumbled across a proposed Bill (Liquor Amendment (Drinking Age) Bill) by Fred Nile in the NSW legislative council that is proposing to amend the drinking age in Australia from 18 to 21 years old. This would involve an amendment to the Liquor Act 2007. 

This has been a key issue raised repeatedly a number of times for a variety of reasons. Such that this isn't the first time Fred Nile has introduced this Bill (he did so back in 2011, and it was promptly rejected). But I believe that the legal drinking age should stay the same, in fact, 29 states in the US have actually lowered the age from 21 (I see this as a growing trend). 

Turning 18 marks an important time in a young persons life. It is seen in Australia as the becoming of an Adult; entering adulthood. You gain a number of responsibilities and freedoms including the right to vote, gamble and drink. Now, especially in a country where individuals are actually legally obliged to vote at 18, I definitely do not think that this Bill will gain any political traction or support.

People are still going to drink no matter what the drinking age is, and I don't see anything changing if the legal age is increased from 18 to 21 as teenagers will still find a way to get their hands on it. I would actually go as far to say that they would want it and yearn for it even more if the age was increased. 

This video showcases some of the opinions of some Australians on this vital question: "Should we raise the legal drinking age from 18 to 21?"

I therefore believe that increasing the drinking age will not significantly lower or decrease alcohol-related harm in teens. To combat this issue of intoxication, the Government and NGOs need to focus on the existing measures and policies in place, and work towards consolidating them before ever taking the drastic measure of increasing the legal drinking age; as I believe this will not change much. Therefore, I firmly believe that this is not a necessity in today's society, and we should focus on other means to fix the problem of the harms of alcohol and intoxication.

Reference for Text:
https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/nswbills.nsf/131a07fa4b8a041cca256e610012de17/0039557f593ef665ca257e3c0021ec74?OpenDocument

Reference for Image:

http://www.bu.edu/today/files/2010/10/18or21-beerfoam_h.jpg

Reference for Youtube Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DM3WzeJ0Btc