stopping excessive alcohol consumption by young generations of Queenslanders. Along with bans on
glass in high-risk venues and educational marketing campaigns, we are moving to stop the use of
novelty products that contain high levels of alcohol and can be consumed quickly. The Bligh government
has moved quickly to place an interim ban on vodka Go Tubes. It seems that this product has been
prelaunched and trialled on the Gold Coast, and a responsible licensee reported the product to the
Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation. The QHA and DrinkWise are both concerned about the product
and support the ban.
Through the Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation we have moved permanently to ban the
product under section 156B of the Liquor Act, which provides that a regulation may declare a particular
liquor product to be an undesirable product. In the meantime I have made use of the powers granted to
me under the act to ban undesirable products for 42 days.
This product targets young people and encourages dangerous consumption of alcohol. The
product is considered undesirable due to its high alcohol content, its attraction to young people, and its
propensity to encourage rapid and excessive consumption. The product has also been banned because
it is brightly coloured and would readily attract younger people, and it could easily be confused with nonalcoholic
products such as soft drinks or ice confectionary. The flavours are likely to have special appeal
to minors and young people. The squeeze tube method of consumption would lead to rapid and
excessive consumption. While the interim ban is in effect a person must not sell or supply this product,
and anyone doing so will be fined up to $10,000.
