Suzanna Sheed
  • Home
  • About
    • About Suzanna
    • Shepparton District
    • How Suzanna can help
  • Priorities
    • Agriculture
    • Education
    • Health
    • Infrastructure
    • Our Achievements
  • News
    • Media Releases
    • Blog
    • Parliament
    • Photos
  • Resources
    • Newsletters
    • Out & About with Suzanna
    • COVID-19
  • Contact
    • Request a
      Congratulatory
      Message
    • Subscribe to our
      newsletter
  • Menu Menu

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

June 17, 2020/in Parliament

Question without notice – My question is to the Minister for Mental Health. Minister, will the government commit to supporting evidence-based alcohol health warning labelling recommended by Food Standards Australia New Zealand at the next meeting of the forum on food regulation to be attended by ministers of government in July 2020? Alcohol is the leading cause of preventable, non-genetic neurodevelopmental disability in Australia. Children born with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, or FASD, will experience challenges in their daily living and need support with motor skills, physical health, learning emotional regulation and much more. There is a prevalence of FASD in my community but still there is no requirement for alcohol containers to carry an effective warning about the cause of harm and the harm that alcohol actually inflicts on the foetus. Much work has been done to address this issue, and recommendations have been made.

Minister Response – (Mr FOLEY Albert Park—Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Equality, Minister for Creative Industries) – Can I thank the member for Shepparton for her question on a very significant issue. Alcohol abuse is the leading drug—legal or illegal—in our nation that causes harm, and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder is one of the more preventable expressions of that harm. The member is right: regional Victoria is disproportionately, sadly, over-represented in all of those measures of alcohol harm, and I well understand why her question relates to her constituency in particular. Just as a point of interest, sadly, we have seen alcohol consumption significantly increase during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We want to make sure that FASD is addressed. It is an infliction that carries through for children for their life and sets them back and families and communities back.

In regard to the specific issue that the member raises, the Minister for Health represents the government at the Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation. The member will be aware that in response the food regulation forum from March of this year is re-examining that specific issue around the implications of this proposed change and its implications on the community’s health and, of course, equally its implications on industry.

The Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation is committed to providing a response to that by 22 June, and this government will make sure that it is a part of that robust discussion—making sure that the interests of FASD sufferers and the need to prevent that significant harm that is caused to so many children as a result of alcohol abuse is addressed in a way that is sustainable and ensures that the interests of public health are put first. I thank the member for her question.

Supplementary question –  Minister, we saw the enormous pressure that governments were put under when it came to banning alcohol advertising in Victoria in the 1980s and the battle that ensued with industry over the changes to cigarette packaging. Will your government stand up to industry lobby groups and support current efforts to achieve the recommended labelling, rather than a watered-down version that industry proponents seek because of the impacts that it has on the cost of production?

Ministers Response – (Mr FOLEY Albert Park—Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Equality, Minister for Creative Industries) – Can I thank the member for her supplementary question. Of course the upcoming Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation, having set in place a process in its March 2020 meeting, has a process whereby that very issue of the competing claims—on the one hand between the public health advocates and on the other the industry—about legitimate views as to what differences on regulation might well be will be determined by the next meeting The forum that has been established to report back by 22 June will be an important part of that process.

I can give the honourable member every undertaking—and give the people of Victoria every undertaking—that the Victorian government is well and truly mindful of the public health implications of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder as one particularly nasty aspect, and I give the member the undertaking that her concerns will be relayed.

Click here to view this record on Hansard

Share this entry
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on WhatsApp
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share by Mail
https://suzannasheed.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/default-post-image.png 240 330 Suzanna Sheed https://suzannasheed.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Sheed-Logo-V2.png Suzanna Sheed2020-06-17 05:28:112020-06-22 09:53:39Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
0 replies

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Pages

  • About Suzanna
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • COVID-19
  • Get Involved
  • Home
  • How Suzanna can help
  • Media Releases
  • News
  • Newsletters
  • Our Achievements
  • Our Vision
  • Out & About with Suzanna
  • Parliament
  • Photos
  • Request A Congratulatory Message
  • Shepparton District
  • Subscribe to our newsletter

Categories

  • Blog
  • Latest News
  • Media Releases
  • Newsletters
  • Parliament
  • Uncategorized

Archive

  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • February 2019
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • June 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015

Get in touch with Suzanna

Share this page and show your support.

Subscribe

5 Vaughan Street, Shepparton
T 03 5831 6944
E suzanna.sheed@parliament.vic.gov.au

Keep up-to-date.
Follow us on social media.

Get in touch with Suzanna

Share this page and show your support.

5 Vaughan Street, Shepparton
T 03 5831 6944   F 03 5831 6836
E suzanna.sheed@parliament.vic.gov.au

Keep up-to-date.
Follow us on social media.

Matters of Public Importance: COVID-19Justice Legislation Amendment (Drug Court and Other Matters) Bill 2020
Scroll to top
Subscribe to our newsletter