greens announce junk food and alcohol advertising levy

The Australian Greens have called for a levy on junk food and alcoholadvertising similar to the levy which has applied in France since 2004.

Launching the policy with Victorian Greens Senate candidate, Dr Richard di Natale in Melbourne today, Greens leader Bob Brown said thea dvertisers could choose the option of including health information in their advertising or pay the levy.

"This type of levy has been working in France since 2004. Australiashould not allow junk food and alcohol companies to make billions at the expense of the health and well being of Australians," Senator Brown said.

"The alcohol industry spends $109 million on advertising per year while fast food companies are among the top 50 advertisers in Australia, spending around $165 million on advertising per year."

"At the same time the costs to individuals and the community as a result of consumption, in terms of health effects, social costs and lost productivity, of these products is enormous. Alcohol use in Australia costs $15.3 billion and obesity costs are estimated to be around $58.2 billion," Dr Di Natale said.

The levy could potentially raise around $4 million in revenue for A Health Promotion Advertising Fund, under the National Preventive Health Agency. It would be used to provide health information to consumers through social marketing campaigns," said Dr Di Natale.

The Greens will introduce legislation to:
* Introduce a requirement to include health information on alcohol and junk food advertising (the standards and nature of the health information to be determined by a National Preventive Health Agency);
* Provide advertisers with an option to pay a 1.5% levy on alcohol and junk food advertising rather than include the informationthemselves;
* Create a Health Promotion Advertising Fund to allocate the funds for health information and to replace alcohol or junk food sponsorshipin community sports clubs.