The National Alcohol Strategy 2018–2026 has to become a set of commitments

Alcohol consumption is behind only smoking and obesity among leading contributors to the burden of disease in Australia. For the first time in over a decade, Australian governments are developing a National Alcohol Strategy, and plan to finalise it in 2018. The draft contains evidence-based recommendations but lacks a framework for accountability, and the Commonwealth Minister of Health recently suggested that the alcohol industry help devise the final version. We recommend that the Government rely on advice from health experts for health policy, pre-specify outcome indicators, commit to modest activities initially, to develop momentum; and commission independent evaluation after 3 years.