Alcohol is an intrinsic part of Australian culture and it plays a central role in most people's social lives. Heavy drinking is seen as acceptable in almost all social situations, from weddings to sports matches, and even at funerals or baby showers.
Frequency of Australians' alcohol consumption
5% of Australians drink alcohol every day; 7% drink 5-6 days per week; 11% drink 3-4 days per week; 17% drink 1-2 days per week; 13% drink 2-3 days per month; 23% drink 1 day per month or less; and 23% of Australians abstain from alcohol.
Of Australians who do drink often, the majority seem to do so in moderation. 72.6% of those surveyed consume alcohol below levels for long term risk of harm. However, many Australians consume alcohol at harmful levels. There are more than 42 million incidents of binge drinking each year.
Australians have been named the heaviest drinkers in the world in a survey after spending more time drunk in 2020 than any other nation. The international survey found Australians drank to the point of drunkenness an average of 27 times a year, almost double the global average of 15.
The 2021 Global Drugs Survey, which accepts submissions via an anonymous online survey, found that Australians got drunk 26.7 times a year, far higher than the second-ranking country, Denmark, on 23.8 times. The global average for getting drunk was 14.6 times per year.
Approximately 84 per cent of Australians drink alcohol at least once in a 12-month period, compared to 83.9 per cent in the UK and 68.9 per cent in the US. However, the UK leads the way with alcohol abuse problems.
Russia and Australia have the highest prevalence of alcoholism dependence overall, with 2.61 per cent and 2.58 per cent, respectively. According to the World Health Organization, US has the lowest rate of alcohol dependence with only 1.93 per cent.
Drinking is arguably a big part of Australian culture. In Australia, it's strongly connected to social situations; you'll struggle to find a party or gathering that doesn't have alcohol in one form or another. It's common to go out for drinks to relax after work, or to celebrate over a toast with friends and family.
The figures released by the World Health Organisation show Australians drink more pure alcohol per year than Americans, Canadians and the Japanese. “Australians drink 10.6 litres of pure alcohol each year, much higher than the global average of 6.4 litres,” according to the authors of the report.
The use of alcohol and other drugs is not a traditional part of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander culture. Although people did consume weak alcohol made from various plants, traditional rules controlled how and when it was used.
But 72% of the non-Indigenous population actually drank alcohol, while only 62% of the Indigenous population did. One common stereotype of Indigenous Australians is that they all drink alcohol to excess. But the reality is that a smaller percentage of Aborigines drink alcohol than do other Australians.
In Australia, alcohol is very accepted and normalised. Because of this, many people do not realise its short- and long-term negative effects. At least 1 in 3 Australian adults drinks enough alcohol to put them at risk of disease or injury.
In 2019, the average age at which Australians aged 14 years and older consumed their first serve of alcohol was 17 years. However, the average age at which 14-24 year olds consumed their first serve of alcohol was 16 years. Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).
While there are no definitive legal authorities confirming addiction is a disability under the Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Vic) (EO Act), case law from other jurisdictions supports this view.
Australian men usually drink more than women on a day they have alcohol. Women are more likely than men to drink two or less standard drinks per occasion (63% vs 43%).
Alcohol is an intrinsic part of Australian culture and it plays a central role in most people's social lives. Heavy drinking is seen as acceptable in almost all social situations, from weddings to sports matches, and even at funerals or baby showers.
In Australia, the most popular soft drink is still Coca-Cola. It is the most commonly sold soft drink in stores, but it is certainly not the only one. Schweppes is also very popular in Australia.
The alcohol beverages most commonly consumed by Australians are bottled wine (34%), regular strength beer (19%), and bottled spirits/liqueur (15%).
For many Australians, alcohol is a part of social and cultural activities. We may consume alcohol for many reasons, including to celebrate, socialise, or commiserate with others. Some people may feel that alcohol helps them deal with problems such as anxiety or difficulty sleeping.
Laws that apply anywhere in Australia
Drink driving – you're breaking the law if you drive and your blood alcohol concentration equal to or more than 0.05. If you're on a learners or provisional licence, your BAC must be zero.
Caucasian. Caucasians have a higher rate of current alcohol use (at the time of the 2013 NSDUH) than any other race demographic, with 57.7% of individuals aged 12 and older reporting past-month alcohol consumption.
Luxembourg, where residents pound down 15.5 liters of alcohol in a year, on average, ranks first. Close behind are France (14.2 liters), Ireland (also 14.2 liters, a lot more of it from beer), Hungary (12 liters) and the Czech Republic (11.8 liters).
Q: What country has the most drunk driving accidents? South Africa has the highest rate of drunk driving fatalities globally, with 25.1 deaths per 100,000 total population. In the US, Wyoming is the state with the highest drunk driving crashes, with 7.60 fatalities per 100,000 people.