National binge drinking campaign: Don’t turn a night out into a nightmare

• Reach:

  National

• Focus area:

  Mainstream

• Status:

  Completed

• Evaluated:

  No

• Time frame:

  21 November 2008 - 30 June 2010

Overview

The National binge drinking campaign: Don't turn a night out into a nightmare launched in November 2008 and ran until June 2010. The campaign was funded by the Australian Government's $53.5 million National binge drinking strategy to address the high levels of binge drinking among young Australians. The primary target audiences was teenagers aged 15-17 and young adults aged 18-25 years, while the secondary target audience was parents of 13-17 year olds. The main objective of the campaign was to contribute, along with the range of existing education, policy and regulatory initiatives, to a reduction in harm associated with drinking to intoxication amongst young Australians.

The National binge drinking campaign consisted of:

• a social marketing campaign that ran over two years and confronted young people about the costs and consequences of binge drinking
• a $7.2 million grants-based program supported community partnerships with sporting and other non-government organisations to positively influence environments that can shape the culture of binge drinking among young people
• $5.2 million in funding that was invested in a significant expansion of the Good Sports initiative of the Australian Drug Foundation in order to support local sporting clubs to build a culture of responsible drinking at the grassroots level
• $19.1 million in funding to support innovative early intervention and diversion programs to identify young people under 18 years who have been involved in an alcohol-related incident.

Resources were produced for both the general public and educators as part of the campaign. These consisted of:

• Alcohol and young people: a guide for parents brochure - produced in various languages
• information on secondary supply of alcohol
• information on drink spiking
• teacher's materials.

Contacts

Australian Department of Health and Ageing
GPO Box 9848
Canberra ACT 2601
Ph: (02) 6289 1555 (Switchboard)
Ph: 1800 020 103 (Freecall)
Email: alcohol.policy@health.gov.au

Links

• View information: National binge drinking campaign: Don’t turn a night out into a nightmare
• View contact details: Department of Health and Ageing
• View website: Department of Health and Ageing