Two public health experts say Australia’s bottle stores are opened too long, making alcohol more accessible and available which leads to it being abused.
Professor Wayne Hall and Dr Megan Weier from University of Queensland’s Centre for Youth Substance Abuse Research in an article published in the Medical Journal of Australia, called on government to take responsibility for alcohol fuelled harm, and act to reduce alcohol harm in the country.
They suggest limiting trading hours for bottle store and increasing alcohol taxes. They say the reason alcohol is a problem is because it is affordable.
Professor Hall also did not approve of Queensland scrapping the 1am lockout laws, saying it was too early to determine its effectiveness.