Letter to the editor: Alcohol Abuse

The Australian Hotels Association Chief Executive, Sally Fielke, is not to be trusted (“Venue-owners should pay for late night trains: Clover”, CityNews, December 23). She fails to realise that she’s the CEO of an industry responsible for fuelling the worst epidemic in Australian history: Alcohol Abuse.

Any initiatives to solve an escalating problem have not come from her, or her industry, but from the few elected representatives courageous enough to speak out. While extra late-night transport services will be helpful, it’s not enough.

Rather than attacking Clover Moore as “demonising” the industry, perhaps Ms Fielke needs to look at the demons that drive alcohol, such as the donations to political parties that saw round-the-clock trading of licensed premises, and the AHA’s advertising campaign aimed at an ever younger audience.

Stuart Baanstra, NAG (nude and gay)

Mascot NSW