A review of public opinion towards alcohol controls in Australia

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Increasing concern about the negative impact of alcohol on the Australian community has renewed calls for tighter regulatory controls. This paper reviews levels of and trends in public support for liquor control regulations, regulation of alcohol promotions, and alcohol pricing and taxation reforms in Australia between 1998 and 2009.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Six electronic databases and twenty public health and alcohol organisation websites were searched for research literature, reports and media releases describing levels of public support for alcohol controls. Only studies which randomly selected participants were included.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Twenty-one studies were included in the review. The majority of the Australian public support most proposed alcohol controls. Levels of support are divided between targeted and universal controls.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Implementation of targeted alcohol policies is likely to be strongly supported by the Australian public, but universal controls are liable to be unpopular. Policy makers are provided with insights into factors likely to be associated with higher public support.</p

Pulling the devil's kingdom down: the Salvation Army in Victorian Britain

Those people in uniforms who ring bells and raise money for the poor during the holiday season belong to a religious movement that in 1865 combined early feminism, street preaching, holiness theology, and intentionally outrageous singing into what soon became the Salvation Army. In Pulling the Devil's Kingdom Down, Pamela Walker emphasizes how thoroughly the Army entered into nineteenth-century urban life. She follows the movement from its Methodist roots and East London origins through its struggles with the established denominations of England, problems with the law and the media, and public manifestations that included street brawls with working-class toughs. The Salvation Army was a neighborhood religion, with a "battle plan" especially suited to urban working-class geography and cultural life. The ability to use popular leisure activities as inspiration was a major factor in the Army's success, since pubs, music halls, sports, and betting were regarded as its principal rivals. Salvationist women claimed the "right to preach" and enjoyed spiritual authority and public visibility more extensively than in virtually any other religious or secular organization. Opposition to the new movement was equally energetic and took many forms, but even as contemporary music hall performers ridiculed the "Hallelujah Lasses," the Salvation Army was spreading across Great Britain and the Continent, and on to North America. The Army offered a distinctive response to the dilemmas facing Victorian Christians, in particular the relationship between what Salvationists believed and the work they did. Walker fills in the social, cultural, and religious contexts that make that relationship come to life

Personal Papers (MS 80-0002)

Letter from the Salvation Army to Daniel W. Kempner discussing their work running a summer Bible School and urging Mr. Kempner to help sponsor the continued running of the school

National economic &amp; social impact survey 2015

The results from the study reveal a bleak picture of entrenched and persistent poverty and disadvantage for a significant proportion of people who access Salvation Army ER and support services. Executive Summary This Economic and Social Impact Survey (ESIS) 2015 is the fourth consecutive report by The Salvation Army exploring the levels of deprivation and disadvantage experienced by those who access Emergency Relief (ER) services. Nationally, The Salvation Army operates an extensive network of emergency relief centres, corps, social programs and employment services to deliver comprehensive and inclusive responses to individuals and communities who experience disadvantage. The Salvation Army is one of the largest providers of Emergency Relief (ER) services in Australia, and provides a safety net for many who are struggling to make ends meet. Each year The Salvation Army contributes approximately $20 million of internally generated funds to its Emergency Relief services. Annually, The Salvation Army provides ER to nearly 160,000 distinct clients across Australia and delivers over 320,000 episodes of ER support. ESIS 2015 provides a detailed analysis of 2,406 responses to the survey distributed through 262 Salvation Army ER and community support services across Australia during February 2015. The results from the study reveal a bleak picture of entrenched and persistent poverty and disadvantage for a significant proportion of people who access Salvation Army ER and support services. Individuals and their families struggle to meet everyday expenses, essential items and financial commitments. This ESIS report provides a voice to those most disadvantaged and disenfranchised within our communities, and advocates for a more just and equitable approach to addressing the needs and disadvantage experienced by many. This year, our research highlighted the dire circumstances and experiences of a number of specific groups. These included: Individuals and families experiencing housing stress and homelessness Individuals and families experiencing financial hardship Individuals and families in receipt of income support (in particular Newstart allowance, Disability Support Pension and Parenting payments) Single person households Adults and children affected by poverty and multiple deprivations. ESIS 2015 illustrates that these struggling groups continue to experience ongoing levels of disadvantage and poverty. These marginalised and disenfranchised individuals and families are of deep concern to The Salvation Army

Personal Papers (MS 80-0002)

Letter from Marvin L. West of the Salvation Army, reminding members of the upcoming meeting