Report prepared by The SA Centre for Economic Studies

Made available by the Northern Territory Library via the Publications (Legal Deposit) Act 2004 (NT).Executive Overview -- Acknowledgements -- Glossary of Terms -- 1. Introduction -- 2. Background -- 2.1 Policy context -- 2.2 Social cost -- 2.3 Collins and Lapsley?s national estimates of the social cost of alcohol consumption -- 3. Identifying Alcohol Attributable Mortality and Morbidity -- 3.1 Calculating PAAFs -- 3.2 Conditions included in the analysis -- 3.3 Collins Differences in approach from Collins and Lapsley -- Part A Northern Territory Social Cost Estimates -- 4. Workforce Impacts -- 4.1 Reductions in workforce due to alcohol-attributable deaths -- 4.2 Absenteeism -- 4.3 Reduction in on-the-job productivity -- 4.4 Reductions in labour in the household -- 4.5 Summary of workforce impacts -- 5. Healthcare Costs 26 5.1 Hospital costs -- 5.2 Other health care costs -- 5.3 Pharmaceutical -- 5.4 Nursing homes -- 5.5 Ambulance -- 6. Road Crash Costs -- 7. Costs of Crime -- 7.1 Police -- 7.2 Criminal courts -- 7.3 Prisons -- 7.4 Property theft and damage -- 7.5 Insurance administration -- 7.6 Productivity of prisoners -- 8. Resources Used in Abusive Consumption -- 9. Potential Social Benefits -- 9.1 Impact on economic activity -- 9.2 Alcohol and government revenue -- 10. Intangible Costs -- 10.1 Loss of life -- 10.2 Pain and suffering -- 11. Total Costs -- Part B Extensions to the Analysis -- 12. Sensitivity Analysis -- 12.1 Comparisons with Collins and Lapsley -- 12.2 Adjustment of directly derived alcohol fractions -- 12.3 Alternative approaches to valuing lost productivity -- 13. Incidence of Costs -- 13.1 Considerations in assessing the incidence of costs -- 13.2 Incidence of costs by stakeholder -- 13.3 Incidence of costs by risk category of drinkers -- Part C Avoidable Cost of Alcohol Consumption in the Northern Territory -- 14. The Effectiveness of Policies to Reduce the Harms of Alcohol -- 15. Assessing the Avoidable Cost of Alcohol Related Harms -- 15.1 Approaches used -- 15.2 Time lags associated with policies to reduce substance related harms -- 15.3 Dealing with the protective effect of alcohol -- 16. Avoidable Costs of Alcohol: Effectiveness of Living With Alcohol Program -- 16.1 Workforce impacts -- 16.2 Health care -- 16.3 Road crash costs -- 16.4 Costs of crime -- 16.5 Resources used in abusive consumption -- 16.6 Additional taxation revenue -- 16.7 Intangible costs -- 16.8 Total avoidable costs -- References.Date:2009-09Cover title. Report commissioned by Menzies School of Health Research

Responsible gambling and casinos

Explores the relationship between casinos and local gamblers, the regulatory environment and the effect of promotional and responsible gambling initiatives. Summary Commissioned by Gambling Research Australia, this research explored the relationship between casinos and local gamblers, the regulatory environment and the effect of promotional and responsible gambling initiatives. The aim of the project was to identify how casinos are responding to the changing gambling environment and market. The report focused on the following key research areas: responsible gambling the role of casinos as destination venues the contribution of casinos to tourism and economic development casino gambling and community impacts. Casinos in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia were included in the study. Key findings from the study include: The Australian casino industry In 2011-2012, real gambling expenditure in Australia was $20.5 billion of which$4.1b (20 per cent) came from the casino sector, $10.91b (53 per cent) from pokies at hotels and clubs, and$3.2b ($15.7 per cent) from race and sports betting. Victoria accounts for 37 per cent of all casino gambling expenditure in Australia. Taxation Although tax arrangements vary across jurisdictions, the effective tax rate on casino gambling is 14.2 per cent (varies by gambling product), 29.3 per cent on pokies at hotels and clubs and 69 per cent on lotteries and pools. Casino gamblers Casino table game players are more likely to be highly educated males, under age 35, with high incomes while casino pokies players are more likely to be older females. Responsible gambling All Australian jurisdictions have implemented responsible gambling measures in casinos including: venue exclusion, policies for identifying problem gamblers, voluntary pre-commitment, and limitations on cash withdrawals and credit facilities. However, there is little evidence to indicate the effectiveness of these measures. Regional impacts of casinos Taxation revenue does not represent a benefit of an economic activity but a transfer from those who choose to gamble to government. International VIP program play has contributed approximately$1.2b in casino gaming revenue. Casinos The casino industry does not report on its consumer protection initiatives. It is therefore difficult to know whether these and other responsible gambling initiatives like pre-commitment are effective

The 'Public Accountability Approach': Suggestions for a Framework to Characterise, Compare, Inform and Evaluate Gambling Regulation

It is argued that the analytical comparison of gambling regulatory frameworks across jurisdictions requires the identification of salient dimensions to provide the basis for such. It is further suggested that governmental ‘conflict of interest’ might provide a useful dimension for such comparison, as operationalised by concomitant EGM harm and government dependence criteria. The same ‘conflict of interest’ criteria are then suggested as a guide for gambling regulation within single jurisdictions, this being named the ‘Public Accountability Approach.’ These points are discussed within broader reference to lines and webs of harm production within a public health analysis. Broader reference is also made to the proper role of government within contemporary democracy

Factors associated with gamblers: A population-based cross-sectional study of South Australian adults

ObjectiveTo determine, using a random telephone survey, the prevalence of various gambling activities among South Australian adults, the prevalence of adult problem gamblers using the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) instrument, and to examine the problem gamblers by demographic and health-related risk factors.MethodA random representative sample of South Australian adults selected from the Electronic White Pages. Overall, 6045 interviews were conducted (73.1% response rate) using Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) technology.ResultsOverall, 75.6% (95% CI: 74.5-76.7) of respondents had participated in at least one gambling activity during the last 12 months and 2.0% (95% CI: 1.7-2.4) were identified to be problem gamblers. A wide range of factors was associated with problem gambling at a univariate level, when compared to frequent gamblers. The logistic regression analysis highlighted that problem gamblers were more likely to speak a language other than English, be employed part time and a smoker when compared to frequent gamblers. Problem gamblers were also more likely to have a mental health condition (according to the Kessler 10), have had suicidal thoughts and know of services for gambling problems.ConclusionThere is a wide range of characteristics associated with problem gambling in South Australia. All of these factors need addressing during policy development to assist problem gamblers.Gill, Tiffany; Grande, Eleonora; Taylor, Ann

Gambling in Australia: experiences, problems, research and policy

AIMS: The aim of this paper is to provide a critical overview of the development and current status of gambling in Australia. METHODS: The paper examines the history and current status of gambling in Australia with a particular focus on the prevalence of problem gambling in the community and developments in policy and treatment services. RESULTS: The paper highlights the contradictory role of State governments as both providers of treatment services as well as agents for the liberalization for gambling. It also shows how the notion of ‘addiction’ is conceptualized in Australian research and treatment services, including the preference for harm-based and public health approaches. Such perspectives view problem gambling as having multiple pathways and determinants that extend beyond thepathology of individuals. CONCLUSIONS: Gambling in Australia provides a curious paradox. Highly liberalized State government policies that allow the proliferation of high intensity gambling coexist with extensive policy, regulation andresearch designed to address the negative impact of gambling on the Australian community.Paul Delfabbro and Daniel Kin

The social and economic impacts of immigration detention facilities: a South Australian case study

The negative attitudes fostered by political rhetoric against asylum seekers create significant problems when asylum seekers are housed within communities. Much of the community's opposition focuses on the perceived economic and social impacts of large numbers of asylum seekers. However, we currently lack research on the local economic and social impacts of asylum seekers. As a contribution to this evidence base our paper outlines a South Australian case study of the impact of a low security immigration detention facility on the local economy, health services and social cohesion. Our impact assessment found that community concerns were not borne out. There were increases in employment and local expenditure, no reduction in health care services or access, and tensions between residents subsided, as did initially strong reactions against the asylum seekers themselves. The minimal impacts were due to the government and community interventions such as seeking local contracts and providing onsite health services. This case study is used to provide some guidelines for other communities to effectively target the fears that matter most to the community - either through disseminating information that reduces fears and myths, or through planning and interventions that minimise negative impacts and enhance positive benefits. In this way, the arrival of asylum seekers can potentially become one that benefits all community members.Danielle Every, Steve Whetton, Sophia Rainbird, Suraya Abdul Halim, Nicholas Procter, Bianca Sebben and Kirrilly Thompso