Indicator Rationale
Long term and excessive use of alcohol can cause extreme harm to the physical and mental health of individuals, families and communities and is strongly associated with liver disease, stroke, numerous types of cancer and depression. Excessive alcohol abuse can also lead to injury and death through accident, suicide and violence and is often connected to family violence, assault and homicide. These physical and social costs increase the burden of preventable disease on Australia’s health care system.
In Australia, alcohol can be purchased from licensed retailers and consumed by all people 18 years old and over. Outlets that sell alcohol which can be purchased and taken away to consume elsewhere are known as off-licence retailers while those who sell alcohol which must be consumed on the premises where is was purchased are known as on-licence retailers. It is possible for a retailer to have both an on and off-licence for alcohol sales.
Relevant Sustainable Development Goals
Measures
Average number of on-licence alcohol outlets within 400m
Average number of off-licence alcohol outlet within 800m
Average distance to closest on-licence alcohol outlet
Average distance to closest off-licence alcohol outlet
Methodology
Three datasets were used in the GIS analysis: alcohol, a pedestrian road network and sample points. The location of alcohol retailers was collected for each Australian state and territory from liquor licensing regulatory bodies classified into on and off-licence premises.
Only retailers with a permanent address were included in the final data sets and wholesalers and retailers who served alcohol at temporary events were excluded.
Pedestrian road network distances were calculated from each sample point to the closest venue with an on and off liquor licence.