Right: Alcohol has been blamed for much of the violent behaviour of celebrating school-leavers on the Gold Cost and other places during so-called "Schoolies Week".Further implications
Currently it appears unlikely that either state or federal governments in Australia will raise the legal drinking age. To increase the legal drinking age to 21 would be likely to have some political ramifications as young voters are likely to punish any government that removes their legal right to drink. It is also probable that brewers, the hotel industry and others involved in the production and marketing of alcohol would pressure governments strongly leave the legal drinking age at its current level.However, there is substantial pressure from health officials, public health researchers and various police spokespeople to increase the legal drinking age. Statistically, Australia's alcohol consumption is not increasing. This, however, is a rather simplistic statement of the situation as alcohol consumption among young people remains a problem.
There is a high level of public concern about alcohol related violence in particular. Recent research findings indicating that excessive alcohol consumption is particularly harmful for the brains and mental development of young people is likely to increase community concern about the effect of drinking on young Australians.
These factors mean that there may come a time when state and federal governments in Australia may feel compelled to act on this question. Data from the United States appears to suggest that a legal drinking age of 21 (more accurately a ban on the purchase of alcohol by those under 21) is likely to reduce alcohol related road accidents involving young people. It is also likely to reduce a variety of social and health issues for which alcohol consumption is a partial cause.
It is more likely that the legal drinking age will be raised to 19 rather than 21 as there would be less opposition among a variety of stakeholders to such a development. Unfortunately, raising the drinking age by only a year would also be likely to have a less positive effect on alcohol-related problems experienced by young people.