In media releases issued alongside its report on drinking a fortnight ago the Alcohol Education & Rehabilitation Foundation said its research raised "the total economic impact of alcohol misuse to $36 billion annually, more than double previous estimates".
The figure was repeated yesterday in a statement issued by the AER welcoming the reappointment of Nicola Roxon as Health Minister. Yet the report itself warns "A caution to keep in mind in reading and interpreting this report, however, is that the harms and the costs discussed here cannot validly be added together into a grand total, without facing the issue of possible double counting. A grand total is not the goal of this report."
The liquor industry peak body, the National Alcohol Beverage Industry Council, has written to AER chair Cheryl Bart accusing the foundation of "blatant misrepresentation of its own commissioned work for publicity purposes".The letter, obtained by The Australian, accuses the AER of packing its own research "in a way that was contrary to guidance published in the report".
A separate letter to all members of the Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy, challenging the $36 billion cost, claims "the research report contains no such finding and indeed the published report carries numerous warnings about making such a claim". > > > >
