“It’s well and truly time that our parliaments, state and federal, caught up with other important sectors in our nation that have sensibly made their workplaces alcohol-free zones,” writes ROSS FITZGERALD.

Recently on Brisbane radio I briefly canvassed a proposal that all our state and federal parliamentary buildings should be alcohol-free zones. 

At first glance, this might seem to be either outlandishly radical or an example of wowserism.

But it’s important to note that in 2024 many workplaces involved in critical decision-making processes are now required to be alcohol-free zones.

For example, health professionals throughout Australia are required to be alcohol and drug free at work. 

Indeed a senior nurse at a major hospital informs me that under the Health Department’s code of conduct, if she was caught drinking alcohol at work she would be immediately sent for drug and alcohol counselling, and could even be dismissed. 

These days, most large companies, and certainly all public service offices, no longer have a liquor cabinet in the boardroom or in the executive office. 

Some organisations even have a rule that, if employees consume alcohol while out at lunch, they are not allowed to return to the office for the rest of the day! 

Reasonably enough, it is now mandatory for any police officer involved in a “critical incident” to be subject to alcohol testing. 

This is to ensure that the decisions officers made were not impaired by alcohol or other drugs. 

More broadly, throughout Australia, any police officer suspected of being impaired at work by alcohol is immediately subject to alcohol testing and, if found to be impaired, they will face a police discipline proceedings. 

That is unless they have resigned before the proceedings begin, which according to a senior Queensland police source is what some officers are doing.

Bearing the above information in mind and weighing up the gravity of the situation, surely the alcohol-free workplace principle should apply to our parliaments. 

No-one can deny that critical decisions are made there that impact on all Australians and which require clear thinking and sober consideration. 

It’s well and truly time

So, I think it’s well and truly time that our parliaments, state and federal, caught up with other important sectors in our nation which have sensibly made their workplaces alcohol-free zones.

I have been informed by a reliable Labor Party source that, this month, the NSW government was lobbied by alcohol reform groups about how to prevent the sexual abuse, especially of women, as a result of alcohol abuse in state parliament.

Some people might say that I’m a wowser, which I’m not. In fact, I never mind who drinks alcohol, as long as they are not violent or out of control or if they behave like I did when I was on the booze. 

As some readers may be aware, I’m a member of Alcoholics Anonymous and have been sober for many years.

If the idea of banning alcohol in parliament seems to be a bridge too far, it is useful to be reminded (or informed) that, when it was first proposed that smoking cigarettes be banned in our workplaces, this initiative was met with strident opposition and derision. Now the vast majority of Australians, including our state and federal politicians, regard these reforms about smoking as quite normal and certainly acceptable.

To give another example, the same initial opposition applied to the life-saving reform about it being mandatory for all drivers and their passengers to wear seat belts.

I hope that after reading this column people will come to understand that my seemingly radical proposal is actually a much-needed reform, which I believe most thoughtful Australian citizens will support.

Those people who regard me as somewhat of a libertarian may think I’m being hypocritical in advocating that our parliaments should be alcohol-free zones. In response I would point out that reforms about cigarettes and alcohol are health issues and not part of the prevailing cancel culture, which I utterly oppose.

What I have long argued for is the preservation in Australia of our precious freedom of speech, and the freedom to express ideas, however unusual or offensive they may be.

This is because freedom of expression and free speech are the linchpins of any actual democracy.

Drinking alcohol on the job is not.

Ross Fitzgerald is emeritus professor of history and politics at Griffith University.