The National Preventative Health Strategy report recommended "a more tightly regulated advertising environment with strict government controls".
The plan for the reduction of what it sees as the harmful impact of alchohol advertising would begin with the phasing out of alcohol promotions and the sale of alcohol merchandising in years 1 to 4, with legislation to reinforce this if necessary.
Alcohol industry sponsorship would be phased out in years 5 to 11 of the plan.
The report also demanded "meaningful" penalties in sporting codes for sportspeople responsible for alcohol-related poor behaviour, an issue which has recently blighted Australian professional sports with several high-profile scandals.
The report said studies had found that alcohol-industry sponsorship of sportspeople - particularly in the provision of free or discounted alcoholic drinks - encouraged hazardous drinking; that alcohol promotion "reinforces pro-drinking messages"; and that the existing Alcohol Beverages Advertising Code was failing to discourage advertising targeting young people.
