Parents could be fined for allowing alcohol at teen parties

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,26352180-2,00.html

PARENTS could be slapped with $6000 on-the-spot fines for allowing alcohol at teenage parties under a radical reform of drinking laws.

The parents of secondary students nationwide will tomorrow receive a letter from the Australian Drug Foundation warning of a binge-drinking epidemic - and calling for tough new penalties to be imposed on parents.

Under a proposal to be considered by state and federal government leaders next month, adults could be fined thousands of dollars for providing alcohol to minors without their parents' permission, the Sunday Herald Sun reports.

They would also be banned from providing an "excessive" amount of alcohol - considered to be anything more than two standard drinks.

And, after complying with the first two conditions, they would be lawfully bound to provide "adequate supervision".

Police could issue the fines where teens were found to be drunk at private house parties - regardless of whether the adults supplied it.

Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon said the issue would be examined by the Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy later this month, with its recommendations to be presented to the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) in December.

Melbourne father Bruce Clark, whose 15-year-old son died after being given alcohol by another parent, welcomed the campaign.

"Nobody, apart from parents or legal guardians, should be allowed to give kids alcohol at all," he said.

Queensland, New South Wales and Tasmania have already adopted tougher measures against the provision of alcohol to minors by someone not licensed to sell it.

According to Australian Drug Foundation chief executive John Rogerson, Victoria and the remaining states have holes in their legislation.

"If this legislation was in place years ago, lives could have been saved," Mr Rogerson said.

In his personal letter to parents, Mr Rogerson warns them that 96 per cent of children under 17 have tried alcohol, and that one in every three adolescents was boozing at "harmful levels".

to be honest i dont think you should be allowed to give alcohol to other ppls children anyway not just because of the risks but also because its disrespectful!!!!!!!
if my children wanted to drink fair enough i would allow them to have one or two (not now of course LOL seeing as how my oldest is only 6) BUT when they were older say 16/17 maybe
but there are way to many risks involved in giving teens alcohol....u dont know how they will act, the side effects, etc etc n as i said before its disrespectful
even with their parents permission i dont think i would be inclined to let them drink just because alcohol effects everyone differently n i wouldnt want it on my head they were aggressive towards others or something nasty happened to them!!!!

I would never buy booze for other poeple let alone children/ teenagers
Its wrong and very disrespectful
When Bethany is older if she wants to try something she can try it with me but I will explain to her why its not safe to drink at parties and what can happen to her