❓ Mr. Watson questions the Minister for Sport and Recreation regarding Cricket Australia's alteration of a Healthway WA advertisement slogan promoting responsible alcohol consumption in sport. The Minister expresses support for responsible alcohol messaging but cautions against overly restrictive measures that could negatively impact sports funding and participation.
AnsweredQoN 663Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
HEALTHWAY —
ADVERTISING SLOGAN
663. Mr P.B. WATSON to the Minister
for Sport and Recreation:
I refer to the censoring by Cricket
Australia of the Western Australian Cricket Association–Healthway WA ''Alcohol
and sport don't mix'' advertisement that Cricket Australia want
to change to ''Under 18—no alcohol, the safest choice'',
undermining the Healthway campaign.
(1) Does the minister support the
Healthway advertisement in its choice of slogan?
(2) Does the
minister support Cricket Australia's action in asking for the
advertising slogan to be changed?
(3) Did the
Minister for Sport and Recreation go in to bat hard enough for the WA Cricket
Association and the Healthway advertisement?
ADVERTISING SLOGAN
663. Mr P.B. WATSON to the Minister
for Sport and Recreation:
I refer to the censoring by Cricket
Australia of the Western Australian Cricket Association–Healthway WA ''Alcohol
and sport don't mix'' advertisement that Cricket Australia want
to change to ''Under 18—no alcohol, the safest choice'',
undermining the Healthway campaign.
(1) Does the minister support the
Healthway advertisement in its choice of slogan?
(2) Does the
minister support Cricket Australia's action in asking for the
advertising slogan to be changed?
(3) Did the
Minister for Sport and Recreation go in to bat hard enough for the WA Cricket
Association and the Healthway advertisement?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3)
I welcome the question from the member for Albany. I am on record on this
subject quite a bit when it comes to sponsorship of sport by alcohol and
fast-food companies. My strong belief in this area is that we want to be really
careful that we do not throw the baby out with the bathwater. I do not support
the sponsorship of alcohol in junior sporting clubs. I do not condone that at
all. I am on record as saying that there can be advertising sponsorship of
alcohol for our senior sporting bodies, but my point is we do not need to get
rid of sponsorship but change the message and utilise a huge network of
sporting clubs and bodies right across Australia to help change the culture of
drinking within our community. Our sporting clubs involve youngsters in age
groups that we can actually get messages to. That is what we did when I managed
country football, with its huge network. The Department of Sport and
Recreation, under my leadership, has a program operating right now doing that.
In regard to Cricket Australia, I
have supported WA Cricket Association very well over the years and continue to
do so. The WA Cricket Association brought what it had done to me. I was not
involved in it; it can make its decisions. The WACA has come to a very good
arrangement with Healthway. Allowances have been made about what it can and
cannot do. Obviously Cricket Australia has taken that decision for the sport.
We have to be really careful, because the same people who talk about alcohol
and fast foods et cetera in sport are the same people who say we must have
youngsters and people of all ages participating and having an active lifestyle
for their health. It is a balance. I fear we can go too far in this area and
that that will greatly affect sport. It may well achieve the opposite of what
it is trying to achieve. I have spoken about that on lots of occasions. It is
my strong belief, and I will continue down that path.
I welcome the question from the member for Albany. I am on record on this
subject quite a bit when it comes to sponsorship of sport by alcohol and
fast-food companies. My strong belief in this area is that we want to be really
careful that we do not throw the baby out with the bathwater. I do not support
the sponsorship of alcohol in junior sporting clubs. I do not condone that at
all. I am on record as saying that there can be advertising sponsorship of
alcohol for our senior sporting bodies, but my point is we do not need to get
rid of sponsorship but change the message and utilise a huge network of
sporting clubs and bodies right across Australia to help change the culture of
drinking within our community. Our sporting clubs involve youngsters in age
groups that we can actually get messages to. That is what we did when I managed
country football, with its huge network. The Department of Sport and
Recreation, under my leadership, has a program operating right now doing that.
In regard to Cricket Australia, I
have supported WA Cricket Association very well over the years and continue to
do so. The WA Cricket Association brought what it had done to me. I was not
involved in it; it can make its decisions. The WACA has come to a very good
arrangement with Healthway. Allowances have been made about what it can and
cannot do. Obviously Cricket Australia has taken that decision for the sport.
We have to be really careful, because the same people who talk about alcohol
and fast foods et cetera in sport are the same people who say we must have
youngsters and people of all ages participating and having an active lifestyle
for their health. It is a balance. I fear we can go too far in this area and
that that will greatly affect sport. It may well achieve the opposite of what
it is trying to achieve. I have spoken about that on lots of occasions. It is
my strong belief, and I will continue down that path.
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