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Below: On January 17, 2013, 7 News telecast a report on the call from the Cancer Council, Diabetes Australia and the National Heart Foundation of Australia for a tax to be placed on soft drinks and other sweetened beverages.
Below: December 14, 2009 - one of New York City’s anti-soda ads, ‘Are you pouring on the pounds?’ Below: An American Beverage Association opposing the New York soda tax. This was uploaded on March 8, 2010. Below: On May 15, 2009, Iowa Public Television telecast a report indicating that some members of the United States Congress were considering a soda tax to help meet the cost of America’s rising health bill. |
 Web links, documents |
Internet information
On January 18, 2013, the ABC's opinion site, The Drum, published a comment by associate Professor John Fitzgerald, a public health expert at the University of Melbourne.
Professor Fitzgerald compares the Australian situation with that in the United States and argues that if Australia attempts to tax soft drinks the soft drink industry can be expected to mount a vigorous opposition.
The full text of this opinion piece can be found at http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/4471222.html
On January 17, 2013, the Cancer Council, Diabetes Australia and the National Heart Foundation issued a media release titled 'Time to Rethink Sugary Drinks'.
The media release makes a series of recommendations aimed at reducing Australia's sugar consumption. Included in these are investigating placing a tax on soft drinks and placing restrictions on the sale and promotion of soft drinks to children.
The full text of the media release can be found at http://www.diabetesaustralia.com.au/Documents/DA/What%27s%20New/Sugary%20Drinks%20Media%20Release.pdf
On January 17, 2013, the Australian Beverages Council (ABCL), the body representing Australian soft drink manufacturers, issued a media release in response to that of the Cancer Council, Diabetes Australia and the National Heart Foundation. The ABCL's media release is titled 'Industry labels Rethink Sugary Drinks campaign as misguided'.
The full text of this media release can be found at http://australianbeverages.org/lib/pdf/industry%20responds%20to%20Rethink%20Sugary%20Drinks%20Campaign.pdf
On January 17, 2013, news.com.au published a report detailing the Cancer Council's, Diabetes Australia's and the National Heart Foundation's request that the Australian government set up an inquiry into taxing soft drinks and place restrictions on marketing and selling beverages.
The full text of this report can be found at http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health-fitness/health-groups-call-for-inquiry-into-taxing-soft-drinks/story-fneuzkvr-1226555375628
The Australian Beverages Council, which represents the views of Australian soft drink manufacturers, has an extensive Internet site which, among other things, explains its position on healthy nutrition and the place of soft drinks.
The section of the site dealing with 'Overweight and Obesity' can be accessed at
http://www.beveragehealth.org.au/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=ASP0017/ccms.r?PageId=10102
The section of the site relating to 'Marketing to Children' can be found at http://www.beveragehealth.org.au/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=ASP0017/ccms.r?PageId=10108
The site's treatment of 'Healthy Eating Guidelines' can be found at http://www.beveragehealth.org.au/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=ASP0017/ccms.r?PageId=10122
On April 10, 2012, The Age published a report titled 'Soft drinks linked to child heart disease'. The full text of the report can be found at http://www.theage.com.au/lifestyle/diet-and-fitness/soft-drinks-linked-to-child-heart-disease-20120409-1wl7n.html
On February 15, 2012, The Age published a background piece by Paula Goodyer titled 'Are we too soft on soft drink?' The article looks at the growing consumption of soft drinks in Australia and the health risks associated with this.
The full text of this article can be accessed at http://www.theage.com.au/lifestyle/diet-and-fitness/blogs/chew-on-this/are-we-too-soft-on-soft-drink-20120213-1t1n9.html
On September 12, 2011, US News published a health report titled 'Banning Soft Drinks in Schools Has Small Impact' which claims that banning the sale of soft drinks in some American elementary schools had had little effect in reducing their overall consumption of sugary beverages.
The full text of this article can be found at http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/childrens-health/articles/2008/09/12/banning-soft-drinks-in-schools-has-small-impact
In 2009, the New South Wales Centre for Public Health Nutrition released a review titled 'Soft drinks, weight status and health: a review' which gave a detailed overview of trends in soft drink consumption and associated health risks.
The full text of this document can be found at http://www0.health.nsw.gov.au/pubs/2009/pdf/soft_drinks_report.pdf
On August 31, 2009, The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene issued a media release announcing its program to increase New Yorker's awareness of their soda-based sugar consumption. The campaign asks the question 'Are your pouring on the pounds?'
The full text of this media release can be accessed at http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/pr2009/pr057-09.shtml
On August 30, 2006, The Sydney Morning Herald published a background piece titled 'Soft drink pledge will fizzle, say critics' which looks at the doubts raised by a range of health spokespeople that soft drink manufacturers will abide by their undertaking to restrict distribution of their products to primary schools.
The full text of this article can be found at http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/soft-drink-pledge-will-fizzle-say-critics/2006/08/30/1156816907292.html
On May 8, 2006, The Education Age published a feature on the question of whether the sale of soft drinks should be banned in schools.
The full text of this document can be found at http://education.theage.com.au/cmspage.php?intid=135&intversion=168
