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A
JUICY ARGUMENT
Remember the front page headlines and the Victorian Premier’s
indignation last year when a Goulburn Valley farmer produced an
alcohol and milk juice and called it Moo Joose?
Fearless Premier Steve Bracks vowed to change the law and ban the
drink and save the lives of thousands of innocent but binge-drinking
Victorian teenagers.
It’s in the news again because the farmer, Travis Morgan,
is appealing against Liquor Licensing Victoria refusing his application
for a licence.
And I remember commenting last September when the do-gooders were
outraged. And were claiming Moo Joose would put every Victorian
child at risk.
I pointed out back then:
It was going to be sold only on licensed premises. Only in bottle
shops and pubs and nightclubs.
And it is no different from a person going into a bar now and ordering
a brandy and milk or a whisky and milk (my father’s favourite
tipple).
Moo Joose at 5.3% would have half the alcoholic content of a glass
of white wine.
And what makes it any worse than wine coolers –which were
a fad for a while – or the lemon Ruski sort of drink?
Kahlua and milk has been available for yonks but Premier Bracks
apparently isn’t going to ban that.
And the Herald Sun which thundered against Moo Joose still runs
full-page ads for Bottlemart that advertises Kahlua and Milk four
packs for just over ten bucks. Cheaper than soft drink. And the
bottles are only 200 ml.
I’m told Target sells alcoholic chocolates shaped like miniature
bottles of booze and the Anton Berg brand has between 2.5% and 5%
alcohol. There’s a Cointreau-laced chocolate that’s
3.9% alcohol. That’s higher than the Cascade light beer that
I drink.
And Mr Premier how about the Asian food stores around town? They
are serving – in the grocery section – Chinese cooking
wine that is 16% alcohol.
And little Italian stores selling little boomba treats called Bambi
Boomba. They are shaped like baby bottles. They even have an inviting
baby bottle teat. They are only 30mls in size and they are 16 and
a half per cent alcohol.
The Drug Foundation told me that the most popular drink for underage
teenage girls is Lemon Ruski. It is advertised in the Herald Sun
pushing four 300 ml bottles for 10.99.
Talk about double standards.
Friday, February 28, 2003
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I actually applaud concerns for underage drinkers. And you and
I probably both did it. But instead of banning a legal product to
be sold only on licenced premises come up with something tangible
like cracking down and closing down bottleshops that illegally sell
booze to kids. And crack down on adults who buy alcohol for underage
kids.
Thursday, September 19th 2002
©Copyright
Derryn Hinch 2002
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