Safe levels of alcohol: Never mind the industry, this is what my GP said

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Safe levels of alcohol: Never mind the industry, this is what my GP said

To submit a letter to The Age, email letters@theage.com.au. Please include your home address and telephone number.

The current Australian guideline for safe alcohol consumption is no more than two standard drinks a day. Beverage Australia is pushing to increase these guidelines as there would be "positive health benefits" in doing so ("Push for softening of alcohol risk guide", The Age, 12/10).

Illustration: Cathy Wilcox

Illustration: Cathy Wilcox

Because of minor heart complications, I recently saw my cardiologist. During this appointment she asked me how much alcohol I consumed. I smiled, and smugly replied that I drank one standard glass of wine a day and on rare occasions two. She did not smile in response. Instead she stated that, regardless of whether one had heart issues or not, she would recommend two alcohol-free days a week.

Clearly she sees no "positive health benefits" in increasing those guidelines.

Who to believe?

Alison Davies, Surrey Hills

Resist this powerful group

Most reputable studies indicate that alcohol poses a higher risk to communities than drugs.

Given this, the alcohol industry's pressure on government to soften the National Health and Medical Research Council's science-based guidelines on safe alcohol consumption is a classic example of the unacceptable face of capitalism. Profits before health.

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And it would be a gross example of weakness, incompetence and corruption in the Australian body politic if the government gave in to pressure from this powerful alcohol industry lobby group.

Colin Simmons, Woodend

Profit motive the only explanation

It appears that the alcohol industry is concerned about maintaining or even increasing profits. There is no other explanation for its blatant attempt to persuade politicians and the public that safe levels of alcohol consumption should be increased. The reality is that there are no guaranteed safe levels. In 2009, a UK expert said that if alcohol had been invented recently, it might be banned. He was fired from his government-appointed position for his honesty.

Alcohol excesses have been clearly linked to a variety of physical and psychological health issues. In addition, alcohol is closely associated with driving offences, domestic violence and a wide range of antisocial behaviours. Ask our first responders how they feel about alcohol consumption as our police, paramedics and hospitals deal with the consequences.

The Cancer Council told us "every cigarette is doing us damage" and the tobacco industry fought long and hard against these campaigns. The alcohol industry is likely to do the same. In the meantime, millions of dollars will literally be poured down the drain, and lives put at risk, until we start putting some brakes on alcohol consumption.

The federal government and indeed, all of our politicians have a duty of care to protect and safeguard the lives of all citizens. The alcohol industry is behaving unethically and federal Health Minister Greg Hunt should strenuously resist any attempts to water down alcohol laws and guidelines.

Irene Goldwasser, St Kilda

It's essentially a poison

It's absurd that the alcohol industry wants the level of low-risk consumption guidelines raised and that it considers that alcohol has positive health benefits, when it's essentially a poison to the liver and brain, can permanently damage a fetus, lead to violence or self-medication and may enhance the chance of certain cancers.

The only benefit of alcohol is, arguably, socialising, and alcohol promotion should be totally separated from sport.

Rod Matthews, Fairfield

THE FORUM

We're in a sorry state

Why people are joining the Extinction Rebellion? One has only to read two articles in Saturday's Age: "Under the influence" on the power of the lobbyists and "Denial as the planet burns"', on the federal government's refusal to take appropriate action on climate change.

Politicians lured by large cash donations to party coffers and the promise of lucrative employment after politics have completely forgotten the important tenets of a democratic country – government of the people, by the people, for the people.

In Australia today we have government of big business, by big business, for big business via the lobbyists. The health and welfare of the people of Australia and of the environment no longer seem to be of any importance to our present federal and state governments.

Australia is in a sorry state. Politicians must realise to whom they are responsible and act accordingly. Now.

Meg Paul, Camberwell

We all should be alarmed

Every week I join other Rural Australians for Refugees members in Castlemaine and in Daylesford to hold up signs protesting against the government's treatment of asylum seekers.

Many people unknown to us stop to thank us and often ask if they may take a photo for Facebook. We naively agree. Many of us are age pensioners. Many of us have long histories as protesters dating back at least to Vietnam.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has gone on record saying that protesters should be photographed, identified, subject to "mandatory or minimum" jail sentences and be cut off from government payments.

I shiver. I do not think he has me or my pension in his sights, not really. But his broad terms do in fact include me and my friends.

All citizens, not only those who challenge the government, should be alarmed.

Janet Gaden, Daylesford

Predictable delays

It's hard to believe that the Victorian government would enter into a $5.26 billion contract to purchase "first-of-type" trains, before their design and construction had been performance and safety tested.

Predictably, rollout of the trains is now overdue and apparently not likely to happen any time soon ("New train rollout delayed again", 12/10).

Who is to say whether the trains will ever be satisfactory and who will meet the costs if they're not? The people who negotiated the contract on the government's behalf and Premier Andrews, who signed it, have a lot to answer for.

Lawrie Bradly, Surrey Hills

The ACB must move on

Justin Langer, about your recent interview with the ABC on the captaincy of the Australian cricket team and Steve Smith and Dave Warner: You can put as much spin on it as you like, but the majority of Australia will not be happy having Steve Smith back as captain, namely for the fact that Tim Paine has done a very credible job and no matter what anyone says, Smith is still a cheat.

With respect to Warner, he bombed out in England and so what if he scored a recent century in a shield game, again he is a cheat also and a cocky one at that.

The Australian public deserve better and if neither of these cheats were to never play for a Australia again who would really care.

It's time for the ACB to move on and if either of them play for Australia, well and good, but never in a position of power or responsibility.

Dale Wise, Ashwood

Mixed messages

I'm confused about Denmark. Ross Gittins (Comment, 9/10) gave me one account but Hamish Macdonald on The State of Denmark (Foreign Correspondent, ABC, 8/10) showed me a country rapidly turning away from its former much-loved tolerance and embracing some very worrying ideas. Did they visit the same place? And then of course I also remember Borgen ... Can we have some clarity?

Ros Collins, Elwood

'Busied' to death ...

Climate change and its effects are on the lists of most citizens. But the list is full of the other duties and obligations of our modern society.

Got to get the kids to school. Got to get in the traffic jam early today. "You protesters can protest as long it doesn't effect the economy for one minute" say our Labor politicians. People question the very effectiveness and efficiency in terms of the strategy of Extinction Rebellion protests. How should they be best organised like a business model. People so caught up in the everyday mayhem of frantic lives. Yes they care but god they can't care today they are just too busy. "Oh crap. I am going to be late for work. Yes protesters, I agree with you, but please move out of the way."

We are so afraid and frustrated that we cannot look beyond today, even tomorrow looks too busy. Who knows or can really care about one year ahead, let alone 10 years. This worry is left to our lazy, wagging schoolchildren, who take an occasional day off school to cry and rage about their already decimated future. "They are crocodile tears", according to our resident right-wing cynics.

Perhaps, we will be "busied" into extinction as we die of exhaustion.

John Rome, Mount Lawley, WA

Not my department

My new NBN was connected up to my service provider yesterday. I was very concerned when the man didn't take away the old modem (I went with the same provider) for recycling. He said it was company policy to not do so "because it was my property". This is a cop out, I believe. It is a major provider in this country.

Lesley Taskis, Kingsbury

It's now up to the rest of us

Now that Labor's Joel Fitzgibbon has joined Energy Minister Angus Taylor's simplistic and flawed approach to energy management and climate change ("Coalition warns of price hikes under IMF push", 12/10), we need to rely on smart business, smart industry, smart state governments, smart local councils and smart communities to pursue the positive economic future of rapid transition to renewables.

When Josh Frydenberg was the minister for environment and energy, just last year, he argued strongly for an approach that would have laid the framework for the trifecta: reliable electricity, cheaper electricity and emission reductions.

He failed to convince his colleagues, and his government continues to fail on all three counts.

The Extinction Rebellion crew might make us feel uncomfortable, but they remind us that we are in a climate emergency and yet the federal government is content with a policy vacuum and a few slogans.

William Chandler, Surrey Hills

A duty to co-operate

The sensational headline "Airbnb defends ATO release" is disappointing.

Companies like Airbnb should not be in the business of refusing to co-operate with the ATO and have an obligation to assist where there is the possibility of tax avoidance.

People not declaring their income from Airbnb should be identified so that any tax due can be levied and to ensure that if their houses are sold an appropriate amount of capital gains tax can be levied on the homes where applicable.

Tax evasion must be tackled wherever possible.

Douglas Potter, Surrey Hills

Disruption works

In the 1960s and early '70s I was an active protester against Australia being in Vietnam. Yes we disrupted traffic and made a noise but how many Australian soldiers and Vietnamese lives did we save by finishing that horrible war.

Climate change is a serious threat, which is why I admire the efforts of the protesters to protect our beautiful planet.

Anne Maki, Alphington

It's rarely rational

David Carlyon (Letters, 12/10) believes that most government policymaking takes place as the result of reasoned debate. Would that it were so.

Australian politics is rarely rational; the influence of party politics, lobbyists, vested interests, ignorance and electoral fears have massive impact. Witness our ongoing failure to deal effectively with climate change or energy policy.

No one in power seems to be listening so it's not surprising that people protest; what else can they do?

Kaye Cole, Princes Hill

Depressingly predictable

The federal Liberal Party is angered at Victorian plans to open up preselections for all sitting Victorian federal MP's ("Vic preselection plan riles Canberra Libs", 12/10) – how depressingly predictable.

The fossils in both major political parties seem to be doing their best to ensure that the quality of political representation remains substandard and faithful to party dogma. There are more people on the MCC membership waiting list than the total membership of all political parties.

Liberal and Labor factional groups, part of this very small pool of decision makers, are impediments to reform, while the community, which is screaming for change and good candidates, must be thinking – why bother?

Norman Huon, Port Melbourne

Where would it stop?

Why stop at churches ("Council vote to label churches", 12/10)? Perhaps all Catholic institutions – and businesses run by Catholics – should have a sign.

Why not require individual Catholics to sew a cross onto their sleeves so they can be identified in the street? Then we could ban them from professions, universities, the public service and so on.

Chris Curtis, Hurstbridge

AND ANOTHER THING

Climate change

About the last thing this country needs currently is an opposition that agrees with the federal government on climate change mitigation.

Jeremy Sallmann, Crib Point

Politics

Peter Dutton is so right wing he's on a different plane altogether.

Warwick Sprawson, Brunswick West

I think our politicians could be well advised to, "beware the votes of marchers". Apologies to Bill Shakespeare.

Ross Crawford, Korumburra

Peter Dutton accuses the Chinese Communist Party of having policies inconsistent with the values of Australia. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.

Phil Alexander, Eltham

Peter Dutton's recent enthusiasm to talk to the media at every opportunity on matters of prime ministerial importance, foreign affairs included, suggests his leadership ambitions remain and should give Scott Morrison food for thought.

Hugh McCaig, Blackburn

Labor going mainstream populist with policies to get elected? That's not an alternative government when we already have the Coalition filling that role.

Gary Sayer, Warrnambool

A "do nothing" Coalition won government. Now an impotent Labor is shooting blanks. There was a time when politicians stood for something other than their own self-interest.

Jenny Bone, Surrey Hills

Furthermore

I thought the whole point to our new trains was that they would be made a) soon, b) properly and c) here.

Peter Bear, Mitcham

Good on you, Maggie Kirkman (Letters, 12/10). At what age do we become elderly and irrelevant to the rest of the nation?

Anne Bevis, Wonthaggi

Finally

Now it's established that cruelty to horses is illegal can we stop hitting them?

Rob Willis, Wheelers Hill

*Sign up to editor Alex Lavelle's exclusive weekly newsletter at: www.theage.com.au\editornote.

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