So the Prick’s back in the Telegraph today, speaking truth to the various neo-prohibitionist killjoys who would use a bunch of ‘roided-up lunatics as an excuse to shut down everyone else’s good time:
The fact is Australia is something of a middleweight when it comes to alcohol consumption. Our drinking is well off its peak, and each year we show a greater preference for wine over beer and spirits. This trend reflects our increasing sophistication and interest in food, and suggests a growing European-style drinking culture, which should be applauded.
But to the new nannies and secular Methodists of today’s temperance movement, there is little difference between mums and dads having a few wines on a Sunday afternoon or a couple kicking on for a nightcap after a romantic dinner on one hand and the criminally violent, amped up on booze as well as drugs or steroids on the other.
According to NSW’s own statistics, booze-related assaults and hospital admissions are heading down – and have been since 2008.
Those allegedly responsible for fights and bashings are often already on bail or parole or have serious criminal records, suggesting the problem isn’t so much licensees letting thugs in as magistrates letting them out.
By way of comparison I’m in the paper next to one such nanny, a gent who (amongst other things) seems to reckon that we could learn a thing or two from sharia in our current panic over grog:
Reduction and regulation of advertising has been effective in countries such as France, Norway, Ukraine, India, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Sweden, Kenya, Hong Kong and most Muslim countries.
Personally, I’m happy to live in a country where 150 Lashes is a brand of beer, and not a punishment.
Prick With A Fork 
Bravo, Sir Prick!
As you know I’m a bit of a homebrewer and the other night I went along to the first in what is hopefully many meetings of a local brew club. And in spite of the history of homebrewing – shaggy, daggy men doing dubious things in their backshed (moonshine history is even stranger, I hear) there was a large contingent of exceedingly well-groomed sorts at the meeting. Wonder if beer (the brewing of and consuming of) isn’t becoming a decidedly middle-class pursuit? This could in fact keep beer out of the hands of the wowsers – upper-class snobbery about the habits of the working class was one of the principal points working in their favour.
It is interesting that, when travelling in countries like France & Spain where alcohol is available at tiny little shops all over the place, I’ve rarely seen drunks or violence. I do worry about the prevalence of sneaky alcohol advertising during sporting events but on the other hand why should we dumb ourselves down to appease the moral majority or lowest common denominator?
I read the full ‘Wowsers Drunk on Power’ article on ClubsNSW site. Wonderful perspective and beautifully put. Our pollies have definitely lost their way. Additionally, given the massive amount of money the govt is happy to extract from the sale of alcohol maybe they should use that money to place more police on the streets rather than try to punish those very sources of that massive govt income…… I fear for where this country is heading.
The real cracker quote in your article of course was:
“the problem isn’t so much licensees letting thugs in as magistrates letting them out.”
And that is the honest to God’s truth. The cops arrest ’em and the beak let’s ’em out !!!!!!!
Speaking of nannies, I’ve gotta feeling that home brewing was only legalised sometime in the early 80’s!
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France and most other European countries do not have to advertise wine,beer and spirits because it can be purchased in supermarkets and other stores just like other food items and also at a cost of approximately 50% of Australia. Now that is civilized!