Alex White (Labour)

We have discussed the question of alcohol advertising in the House on many occasions and I have expressed my view very strongly that we need to take a serious look at the advertising of alcohol on television. This extends to a wider debate on alcohol sponsorship throughout our country and society, particularly in the area of sport and related leisure activities. It is a huge problem and a major issue which needs to be addressed and confronted. We all agree that this needs to be done.

Some of my colleagues have brought forward amendments, some of them mandatory in form in respect of a ban and a very large fine, and others which are a variation on the theme. I am inclined to support the sensible position adopted by Senator Joe O'Reilly, namely, that as far as possible the detail should be determined in a code of practice and the widest possible amount of agreement should be secured throughout the industry before we resort to the approach of a mandatory ban on advertising of particular products.

While I share the views of those who have said that there ought not to be advertising of alcohol on television, we live in a world where there is a proliferation of television advertising which does not just originate in this State or across the water, as was the position up to a few years ago. Television stations are now beamed in from all over the world. We must have regard to the world we live in. While I do not say this to lessen my earlier point on alcohol advertising, it is a more complex problem than simply saying we should impose a ban and a fine — I say this with all respect to the proposals of Senators Norris and Mullen in this regard. This question probably belongs better in the context of a discussion and, hopefully, an agreement on a code of practice, which is the way this type of issue has been dealt with in the past.

To be fair to the Minister, that would appear to be the context in which he intends to deal with this issue. There is fairly detailed provision in section 42 in respect of broadcasting codes. I presume it would be the intention of the Minister to include this question, or at least it would be a view of the Minister that this question needs to be dealt with in the context of the enabling provisions in the Bill for the promulgation of codes of practice and advertising. Senator O'Reilly's amendment on that issue is probably the one I would prefer over the others for the reasons I have outlined but I also believe, in fairness to the Minister, that this issue is allowed for in the text of the Bill. That is probably the best way to proceed.

We can put measures into legislation that make us feel we are doing something or that we can have an impact on a particular problem, but the question is whether in fact we would have that effect and-or whether it would not be better to take the issue apart and deal with it with all of the interested parties concerned, and hopefully reach the outcome we wish to achieve in regard to the advertising of alcohol.