Booze ban tops kids' wish list Down Under

Melbourne, Jan 12 (ANI): A ban on alcohol has topped the wish list of the kids from a troubled Kimberley town Down Under.

In the survey of more than 100 children, aged 10 to 14, booze ban has topped the wish list, ahead of a local cinema and an international airport.

The kids surveyed wanted alcohol eliminated from their town.

They also wanted to help their parents and other adults to get sober.

"The young people were very clear about what they wanted ... they weren't prompted or given suggestions," News.com.au quoted O'Meara, facilitator of last year's 2020 Youth Summit as saying.

"They spoke of their fears that some in the community would not like them asking for the elimination of alcohol, and they spoke of the impact of alcohol on their lives - I can say they have very real reasons for wanting it to stop," he added.

O'Meara hopes that the kids' request will boost the efforts of the leaders to impose a ban in full-strength on alcohol.

The shire of the town of Halls Creek and business operators are against a total ban.

Matthew O'Sullivan, of the Australian Employment Covenant, said that the children of Halls Creek needed immediate action.

"By all means, look at other solutions such as a card system, but do that after introducing something that we know works (such as) a Fitzroy Crossing-type restriction," O'Sullivan said.

"Halls Creek needs a circuit breaker to free themselves of the ravages of alcohol abuse and they can't afford to wait on another trial and another fact-finding trip. Too many young lives are being destroyed to wait.

"We have employers in the Kimberley lining up to give people in Halls Creek a job but they all say: 'Get them sober and ready to work, then I'll give them a job,"' he added. (ANI)