The Australian Medical Association has called for tighter controls on alcohol advertising on television, arguing that current industry-led rules are failing to protect Australians as alcohol-induced deaths reach their highest levels in more than two decades.
In a submission to the Australian Communications and Media Authority’s review of alcohol advertising restrictions under the Free TV Code, the AMA urged the regulator to introduce enforceable standards, remove exemptions allowing alcohol advertising during sport, and tighten restrictions on broadcast hours.
AMA President Dr Danielle McMullen said the current framework leaves Australians, including children, exposed to heavy alcohol promotion during periods linked to higher rates of alcohol harm.
“Australia is experiencing the highest rates of alcohol-induced deaths in more than 20 years,” Dr McMullen said.
She described alcohol as a known carcinogen connected to chronic illness, injury, mental illness and family violence, while warning that repeated exposure to alcohol marketing can influence drinking behaviour from a young age.
The AMA argues that existing rules are too weak, particularly because alcohol advertisements are still permitted during televised sport across weekends. According to the association, these are periods when alcohol-related harm often rises.
Dr McMullen said previous amendments to the broadcasting code had expanded opportunities for alcohol advertising rather than limiting them.
The submission also points to public support for tighter restrictions, citing research suggesting most Australians favour less alcohol advertising on television.
Alongside calls for stricter controls on traditional advertising, the AMA wants regulators to include sponsorship arrangements and zero-alcohol products within the rules. The organisation says branding similarities between alcoholic and non-alcoholic products can still expose younger audiences to alcohol marketing.
Concerns were also raised about broadcaster video-on-demand and catch-up streaming services, which currently fall outside some advertising restrictions applied to free-to-air television. The AMA claims this creates loopholes that allow alcohol promotions to appear during children’s programming on streaming platforms operated by broadcasters.
The alcohol industry and broadcasters have previously argued that advertising restrictions should balance public health concerns with commercial realities, including funding arrangements linked to sporting broadcasts and media operations. Industry groups have also maintained that existing codes include safeguards intended to prevent targeting minors.
Public health advocates, however, continue to push for stronger government intervention, arguing voluntary systems have failed to keep pace with changing viewing habits and digital media consumption.
The ACMA review is examining whether current rules remain appropriate as television audiences increasingly shift between broadcast and streaming platforms.
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