Public health leaders challenge Government to act on alcohol tax reform
MEDIA ALERT
Public health leaders challenge Government to act on alcohol tax reform
NAAA Alcohol Tax Forum, AMA House, Canberra, Wednesday 28 September
The AMA will next week host the National Alliance for Action on Alcohol (NAAA) Alcohol Tax Forum in Canberra.
Critical that there would be no discussion of alcohol taxation or public health representation at the Government’s tax forum on October 4-5, the NAAA is convening its own forum in an effort to stimulate political and community debate on the importance of alcohol tax reform in dealing with health and social problems in the Australian community.
The NAAA Forum will bring together health economists, public health experts, and parliamentarians to discuss and formulate principles for taxing alcohol in a way that helps reduce the personal harms and the staggering social and economic costs of alcohol abuse to the community.
The Henry Review and the Preventative Health Taskforce both called for an overhaul of alcohol taxation but the Government has not acted.
NAAA members will use the Alcohol Tax Forum to provide further compelling evidence for the Government to include alcohol taxation in its overall tax reform agenda.
Event: NAAA Alcohol Tax Forum
Date: Wednesday 28 September 2011
Time: 10.00am- 1.00pm
Venue: Conference Room
3rd Floor, AMA House
42 Macquarie Street, BARTON, ACT
Media are welcome to attend. A full program and list of speakers will be circulated next week.
The NAAA has more than 50 member organisations around Australia including the AMA, the Cancer Council, the Australian Drug Foundation, the Alcohol Education & Rehabilitation Foundation (AER Foundation), and the National Drug Research Institute (NDRI).
23 September 2011
CONTACT: John Flannery 02 6270 5477 / 0419 494 761
Geraldine Kurukchi 02 6270 5467 / 0427 209 753
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