Australian Drinking Age Debate
Announcement:To start of with, I would like to say that this debate was for fun, and isn't an official one in any way, considering it was done over Facebook... :P However, it does point out some interesting facts, if you can actually be bothered reading it!! xD
Emilie: The current drinking age stands at 18 in Australia and I firmly believe that it should be risen to 20 as kids at an early age not only cause 60% of the death rates of road fatalities in Australia but they are immature and don't know how to control themselves. Also, they put other people's life In Danger
Me: The increase of the drinking age within Australia from 18, to 20, will not improve safety standards or maturity. It would increase rebellion, as many under-aged civilians according to the new drinking age, would want to drink before the increased limit. You have also supplied a simple statement 'They put other people's life in danger'. While this may true, so is getting in a car and driving off, or riding a motor-cycle. Any of these activities puts others life in danger. However, it is not up to the government to force our children to mature. The parents should have raised them to be safe with what they do. The government should not have to increase the drinking age, to encourage maturity. Maturity should be instilled in young people as they are growing up, and not in two years between when they reach adulthood, and before they are at the propsed legal drinking age.
Emilie: The negative had said that 'its up to the parents to raise a safe child' and also that ' Maturity should be installed when they grow up'. I just want to point out, not all parents raise a 'safe' child - many children are raised in a family where intoxicated parents are seen on a day to day basis. Many of those parents raise there children wanting them to be the same as they are and not caring how reckless they are. Adolescents is a time where teens test themselves and try to make themselves known to other peers, and by doing so, drinking at a party is a huge roll that occurs often with teens. Examples of this includes many many many teens who appear of the reality TV show, 'Worlds strictest parents'. Also, Maturity ISNT installed in young people. Kids grow up where they don't know what's around the corner and up to them to see. Parents are the biggest influences on young people as many young teens (18) see there parents drinking and they assume its okay for them to do the same not knowing how deco stating the results are.
Me: The affirmative team has chosen to point out the flaws in my point of that many parents are not responsible for their children, and that this is a reason to up the drinking age limit. I would like to point out that this is a flawed point of view. If parents are intoxicated all the time, and the children see them like this the entire time, aren't they likely to start drinking before the CURRENT drinking age limit? Would increasing the drinking age limit accomplish anything other than reducing the amount of revenue the government receives, while providing no real way to prevent any illegal under-age drinking to occur, except having fines for if people are CAUGHT. Many people have gotten away with underage drinking, and raising the drinking age limit is not going to accomplish anything. A better solution would be keeping the drinking age limit the same, while increasing facilities which help children's alcoholic parents become better parents, and less dependent upon alcohol.
Emilie: I would like to point out some false statements made by the negative team. They have said that 'Are they likely to start drinking before the CURRENT drinking age limit?'. I'd like to say, that YES THEY ARE. Atleast 80% of youths in australia have tried drinking a substance that is illegal to them (beer). Do you really think that they are stupid enough to believe the drinking age?!
They also said to 'increase facilities which hell children's alcoholic parents become better parents'. What are they? What are those facilities ? They have told us an incomplete statement
Me: Due to reasons such as a headache and laziness, this response will be completed at a later date. :P
Announcement: Ok, so I got lazy at the end of the debate. What can I say? Post your views on it though. I would be interested to here them! :)
