The Greens may be lagging behind the Liberals and Labor for votes in this election, but there's one area they have their major party opponents licked -- alcohol consumption.
The Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE) released its 'Annual Alcohol Poll' for 2016 on Wednesday, looking at how Australians feel about booze. A total of 1825 people around the country were surveyed, on issues from advertising and effects of excessive drinking to beer preferences and pub lockouts.
Deep within the report, however, was a table of attitudes to alcohol, broken down by political leaning. While half of Greens voters cited alcohol as "the drug that causes the most harm to Australians" (compared to 36 percent of ALP voters and 32 percent of Coalition leaners), Greens were the ones who admitted to the biggest booze consumption.
A total of 85 percent of Greens voters said they consumed alcohol, highest of the three major parties. Almost one-fifth of Greens said they consumed "6+ standard drinks on a typical occasion", higher than the ALP voters (16 percent) and the Coalition (nine percent).
48 percent of Greens "drink to get drunk", compared to 40 percent of ALP voters and 31 percent of Coalition voters.
Greens voters were also least likely to "consider city or centre of town unsafe on a Saturday night" and -- despite being the biggest drinkers -- had the best knowledge of health concerns and effects of excessive alcohol consumption. They were also the most in favour of increasing alcohol taxes, of limiting alcohol sponsorship and advertising, and of limiting the sale of alcohol at supermarkets; but least in favour of earlier closing times for pubs and clubs, and least in favour of restrictions on alcohol sales at licensed venues.
To read the full report, click here.