Gold Coast drinking: Suburbs with highest alcohol intake

Enjoying an Australia Day beer? You're not the only one - Gold Coasters love a drink, with residents in some suburbs downing vast quantities of alcohol each year. SEE HOW YOUR AREA COMPARES

FORGET coronavirus, this is the worst news you’ll hear all year: the nation’s alcohol intake guidelines have dropped from 14 standard drinks a week to no more than 10.

We can’t reach for the whiskey bottle either because we’re among the worst offenders.

New statistics show one in every three Gold Coasters scull the maximum four drinks a day once a week — behind only inner-city Brisbane, Mackay and the Darling Downs in Queensland.

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It’s worse if you live in Burleigh and Broadbeach where National Drug Research Institute data shows every resident on average chugs back 20 litres of pure alcohol each year.

Mudgeeraba-Tallebudgera had the city’s lowest rate of alcohol consumption of 6.92 litres.

Only 13.9 per cent of the population classifies itself as a non drinker, behind Cairns (5.4 per cent) and Mackay (12 per cent).

Burleigh and Broadbeach residents on average chug back 20 litres of pure alcohol each year.

The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) altered the drinking guidelines this week after a four-year review.

“We’re not telling Australians how much to drink,” NHMRC CEO Professor Anne Kelso said.

“We’re providing advice about the health risks so that we can all make informed decisions in our daily lives.”

The Australian Medical Association (AMA) supported the changes, slamming any attacks on the guidelines as prioritising “profit over public health”.

“Many Australians are unaware that alcohol consumption can contribute to cancer and cerebrovascular, cardiovascular, liver and digestive disease,” AMA president Dr Omar Khorshid said.

“It’s important that these guidelines are not interpreted as ‘safe’ or ‘allowable’ levels of alcohol consumption, but as a way to reduce your level of risk.”

Australian Medical Association president Dr Omar Khorshid. Picture: Supplied.

The decision copped heavy criticism from industry peak body Alcohol Beverages Australia (ABA), which represents producers, retailers, pubs and clubs and breweries.

It argued research used to underpin the NHMRC report suggests Australian drinkers could consume up to 28 drinks a week and still have no greater risk of death.

“This is not a call for Australians to drink more but a call for transparent advice to ensure Australian men and women are fully informed of the risks based on the number of occasions they choose to drink in a week,” ABA CEO Andrew Wilsmore said.

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“Considering that government research found that the public considered the 2009 guidelines ‘unrealistic’, these harsher, more restrictive, less balanced and poorly targeted draft guidelines do not provide more hope of being found to be acceptable by the public, and arguably stand far less chance of public acceptance.

“Australians should not be made to feel guilty about enjoying a drink or a couple sharing a bottle of wine over dinner.”

The ABA also argued that moderate alcohol consumption can also provide a protective effect against certain cardiovascular diseases.

Originally published as Gold Coast drinking: Suburbs with highest alcohol intake