Ms Kathryn Walsh:

As the Senator will be aware, the IHF was very involved with the Alcohol Health Alliance in supporting and pushing for the enactment of the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018, recognising that alcohol is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. We know from the evidence that there are strong links between alcohol and cardiovascular disease. For example, two alcoholic drinks per day in midlife increases a person's risk of stroke by more than one third and it leads to people suffering stroke, on average, five years sooner. Every unit of alcohol per week a person drinks increases the risk of artrial fibrillation by approximately 2%. Alcohol can stress the heart muscles and lead to heart weakness, which makes it harder for the heart to pump blood around the body. In terms of heart failure, the heart is not pumping blood around the body as well as it used to. There are many links as well with high blood pressure. We have always been strong on recognising the harms caused by alcohol in terms of cardiovascular disease and health and the need for that to be recognised in legislation was fed into the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018. That is important.

We often hear stories that alcohol is good for the heart. With regard to the increased risk of stroke and heart disease we need it to be front and centre that alcohol increases the risk for cardiovascular disease.