Secondary supply of alcohol

Research shows that by the age of 17, some 95 per cent of students have tried alcohol, with 42 per cent having drunk in the last week.  However, of these, only 45 per cent say their parents gave them their last drink.

While all jurisdictions prohibit young people less than 18 years from drinking on licensed premises, except in special circumstances, several jurisdictions do not restrict young people’s drinking on private premises, so in those states and territories children and adolescents of any age can be supplied with and consume an unlimited amount of alcohol in private settings.

In two separate cases in recent years adolescents have lost their life and have been severely and permanently injured due to negligence shown by an adult in providing an excessive amount of alcohol to them and having failed to supervise the subsequent consumption.

Three states, New South Wales, Queensland and Tasmania, have legislated against unsanctioned secondary supply to underage persons in private premises, with the Victorian Government due to follow suit within the next year.

The Northern Territory has introduced a new offence around irresponsible supply of alcohol to minors.

The ADF supports the NHMRC alcohol guidelines and believes secondary supply legislation, with the following features, is required in every jurisdiction:

• that an adult must not supply alcohol to a minor at a private place unless the adult is a parent or legal guardian of the minor, or has specific permission of the parent or guardian; and
• that any alcohol consumption by minors should be controlled by their parent, or equivalent, in order to reduce young people’s access to alcohol, and to reduce the likelihood of harm in instances where young people do drink alcohol.

What you can do to help:

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