Fed: Salvos back calls for tougher restrictions on alcohol

AAP General News (Australia)
04-15-2008
Fed: Salvos back calls for tougher restrictions on alcohol

SYDNEY, April 15 AAP - The Salvation Army has backed calls for tougher restrictions
on alcohol following the release of new research which reveals one in five Australians
have been touched by alcohol-related violence.

A Roy Morgan telephone survey of 694 people over the past seven days shows almost one
in five, or 3.1 million Australians, have endured alcohol-related violence or know a friend
or relative who had.

Salvation Army spokesman Gerard Byrne said the organisation supported much tighter
restrictions on alcohol.

"We see the devastation to families and children in particular, who flee homes where
there's domestic violence, and over the last two years there's been a 20 per cent increase
in people presenting for alcohol-related issues to our recovery programs," Mr Byrne said.

"The vast majority of homeless children are on the streets because they're fleeing
homes where there's domestic violence.

"We fully support and endorse the push for much greater awareness and action by government
at all levels regarding alcohol."

AAP krc/wjf/jl/bwl

KEYWORD: ALCOHOL SALVOS

2008 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.