I had a great chat with ABC evening presenter Rebecca Levinston last night. We were nominally speaking about today's Fluid Festival at the Pig & Whistle, but after the alcohol and violence debate this week it was a little hard to start the chat talking about a beer festival...
Personally I feel sorry for the Government with this issue because everyone is looking to them for a solution and there’s pressure on them to do something, In politics, people want to see action and a quick fix. However, the real issue is our attitudes as a society to alcohol and drinking. Like smoking, that’s something that will take a long time to gradually change. I think it needs to be done, but there is just so much involved in doing that.
I guess my personal approach is to say drink less, and drink better, drink for flavour and not for effect. It's a message I have long brought out in my classes and tastings, and Rebecca seemed to like it too!