For charities, sponsorship by alcohol companies often means a hangover

Posted on 04 Feb 2025

By Greg Thom, journalist, Institute of Community Directors Australia

The sometimes-problematic relationship between alcohol companies and their support for charities and not-for-profits is again in the spotlight, with questions being asked about two very different fundraising campaigns.

Royal Life Saving Australia (RLSA) recently said it had decided to reject a “large donation” offered in exchange for its endorsement of Malibu rum's "Don’t Drink and Dive" alcohol advertising campaign.

RLSA said accepting funds to support a campaign designed to sell alcohol to young people by leveraging concern for water safety clashed directly with its values and “sent a terrible message to the community.”

The development came hot on the heels of a backflip by brewer Great Northern on its commitment to help fund efforts by the Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife to expand national parks in Queensland, after a fierce backlash by four-wheel-drive loving beer drinkers.

Both cases have again highlighted concerns about when it is appropriate for charitable causes to accept help from the alcohol industry.

RSLA CEO Dr Justin Scarr said the Malibu water safety campaign was based on a similar initiative in the UK that he described as a cynical play on words linked to his own organisation's 2005 campaign "Don’t Drink and Drown." That initiative was followed in 2017 by the message "Don’t let your mates drink and drown."

Dr Scarr said alcohol consumption was a factor in more than 300 drowning deaths in the past five years, with the highest rate amongst 25–34-year-olds – the key target market for Malibu.

“We take our leadership role in drowning prevention and water safety very seriously,” said Dr Scarr.

“The link between alcohol consumption and drowning is irrefutable.”

French company Pernod Ricard owns and sells Malibu rum in Australia.

Dr Scarr said alcohol consumption impairs judgement and reaction times, increases risk-taking, and reduces coordination and inhibitions.

“No amount of intoxication before or during water activity can be considered safe. Intoxication increases exposure to drunken falls and poor decision making around water.”

Dr Scarr said there were increasing concerns around the negative relationship between alcohol advertising and water safety.

“Bringing diverse groups and views together to build solutions to drowning means listening to stakeholder views, and many are concerned about the negative role of alcohol advertising around water.”

Dr Scarr said reducing alcohol-related drowning was a priority area of the Australian Water Safety Strategy 2030.

Royal Life Saving Australia facilitated a forum to bring together experts on this topic in August 2024.

The Alcohol and Drowning Prevention Forum concluded that system-level responses were needed, as raising awareness of the dangers was not enough to reduce alcohol related drowning.

Recommendations from the forum included:

Developing stronger laws to regulate and police alcohol industry advertising. Voluntary alcohol advertising guidelines are inadequate and ineffective. Compliance is low, with people regularly shown drinking around water activities, especially throughout summer
Establishing and enforcing laws that restrict alcohol consumption at and near designated publicly owned swimming areas. The forum said these must be considered for widespread adoption
Supporting robust, multi-pronged efforts to address and enforce laws relating to boating under the influence of alcohol
Compelling entertainment precincts to consider drowning exposures and vulnerabilities and take proactive preventative measures to protect patrons against drowning.

“The link between alcohol consumption and drowning is irrefutable.”

Royal Life Saving Australia CEO Dr Justin Scarr.

Outraged customers spark brewhaha over national parks plan

Great Northern thought it was on a winner when it announced it would match customer donations from customers of up to $200,000 to the Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife, up to the value of $200,000, under its ‘Outdoors for a Cause’ campaign.

The campaign was supposed to run from January 15 to March 31, but the brewing company changed tack after many customers threatened to boycott the beer.

The backlash was sparked by fears among Great Northern drinkers – many of whom are outdoors enthusiasts and central to the beer's marketing strategy - the money would be used to turn state parks into national parks, which would make it more difficult to enjoy activities like camping and four-wheel driving.

Four wheel drive — Four-wheel-drive enthusiasts led the backlash against plans by brewer Great Northern to donate funds to support efforts by the Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife to create more national parks.

Great Northern's head of marketing, Zac Gelman, said the campaign was “reassessed following feedback from our passionate drinkers.”

“Our donation to the Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife will now not be used to buy land to add to national parks,” he said.

Gelman said the money would instead be used for the preservation of endangered species.

“Whether it’s hiking, fishing, four-wheel driving or just relaxing, Great Northern drinkers use and preserve their precious spots in the great outdoors, and we support them.”

The Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife did not respond to a request for comment by the Community Advocate.

The latest developments follow news of alcohol sponsorship deals between beer company 4 Pines and the McGrath Foundation and Queensland brewer XXXX and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation.