We have all been made aware of the Federal Government’s changes to the national budget, health care changes, which will make up to 500,000 young people ditch private health insurance, and almost $1 billion ripped out of regional Australia. Yes, that’s right, the great leap forward that sustainable agriculture made under the previous government has been coathangered, which means no more environment grants like the one my subcatchment group received. So much for a ‘green’ PM. The changes are great and expected, but one that has totally left me reeling is the Government’s 70% increase in taxes on premixed drinks.

This tax will do nothing to stop binge drinking. Education will, but it will add hundreds of millions to the Rudd Government’s surplus. But think about this…and this next point is what has got me so so worried…. if drinking is more expensive for students and the more financially stressed people in our community, what will they do for the escape they are currently getting from alcohol?

Welcome Australia to a massive increase in the use of illicit drugs and incresed consuption of spirits.

You don’t have to be Einstein to realise that if you don’t have the money to drink…which can be around $40 if you’re staying at home or $60 if you’re going out…and your mate says “here, I have an ‘E’, it’s only $25 and there is no hangover”…what do you think the answer is going to be?

Raising a person’s escapism costs by raising the costs of pre-mixed drinks, which are the ones you drink at home parties, prior to going out, and out in clubs, just increases the attraction to drugs.

Everytime I go out, people are increasing using GHB. It truly is shocking to see at every party I go to, at least a couple of people taken away in stretchers. GHB is a liquid drug (made infamous recently by a TV dancing judge who seemed not to like my dancing), which is taken and induces complete euphoria in the user.

However, take too much and you are in a stretcher. It also must be taken without alcohol. Actually scary to think now, isn’t it, that if alcohol is too expensive, GHB will be the drug of choice for our youth.

What does that mean to the rest of us who don’t take drugs?

Well, try getting an ambulance on a weekend. You won’t, because they will be attending not just nightclubs and raves but house parties where young people, unaware of how to use the drugs, will be OD-ing in droves…

They will be in taxi ranks still off their faces and either become perpetrators, or more likely victims, of crime.

They will be in parks like Todd, out of it, meaning the Gen Y issues you have with your staff will be tenfold, as they are trying to get their act together for Monday’s work day.

If it’s not GHB or E that they will be getting into, as maybe they are not up for a party night, then it will be cannabis…already being used in small country communities to absolute excess…and we all know too well the lasting effects of pot on the psychotic behaviour of longtime users.

Perhaps people wont turn to drugs, but if they still want to drink, like me thye will be buying a lot more liqour than nessessary, as it is more economical to purchase spirits and mix yourself…and we all know that there is no quantity control by the 4 th drink….

You see the government can raise the taxes and hence the prices of legal escapism, but people still need to escape from their daily lives…and they will.

If only petrol was cheaper…maybe many people would go driving to the country for an escape

This will be the most lasting effect of this government. Turning its youth into drug users and bigger drinkers.