Australia: Grog abuse is NT shame

Link:http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2009/11/10/99801_ntnews.html
THE saddest aspect of the latest alcohol abuse report is that none of it would have shocked Territorians.

The study by the national Drug Research Institute showed that grog has killed and seriously injured more people in the Territory than any other jurisdiction in Australia.

About 88 Territorians over the age of 15 died from drink in 2005 - three times the national average.

And 2173 adults ended up in hospital because of alcohol dependence, booze-related falls and assaults.

Believe it or not, this is considered quite good news by experts - because it's better than in 1995.

Add to this the fact that most crime in the Territory is connected with grog abuse, the carnage on our roads is the worst in the western world and the lost work hours and the picture is grim indeed.

Some Territorians may be tempted to assume that alcoholism is a problem confined to Aboriginal people.

For sure, the worst abuse is found among indigenous people - but there is also a deep problem among non-Aboriginal Territorians.

Also, there is a growing culture of binge drinking among non-indigenous young men and women.

Any appeal to wage war on alcohol abuse runs the risk of sounding like wowserism.

But there is nothing prudish, nothing nannyish, about wanting to stop Territorians drinking themselves to death.

The simple fact is that the Territory must change its culture. Drinking in moderation must become a source of pride.

... and another thing

NEWS that Inpex has applied to start work on a workers' camp at Howard Springs is encouraging - it shows that the resources company is still serious about building a gas plant in Darwin.