School leavers planning overseas celebrations are being strongly advised to exercise caution in light of recent methanol poisoning incidents in Southeast Asia.
Last November, a tragic incident in Laos resulted in the deaths of six individuals who consumed contaminated alcohol at a hostel.
“It’s still very raw and deeply upsetting, but it’s essential for the greater good,” stated Jones.
To address this issue, DrinkWise and Smart Traveller have launched a campaign aimed at raising awareness and promoting safety among young travelers.
DrinkWise has announced a collaboration with Smartraveller to engage with students on November 29, a peak travel day for school leavers. Representatives will be stationed at international airports in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane to provide crucial safety information to those heading overseas.
The initiative will also involve targeted advertisements and messages sent directly to teenagers’ phones as they arrive at Australian airports. Additionally, international Jetstar flights will feature in-flight video messages to further convey safety tips.
“DrinkWise research shows school-leavers are making safer choices at schoolies, but timely reminders remain critical,” DrinkWise chief executive Simon Strahan said.
“This is real, issues like methanol poisoning are real.”
Morton said she urged parents to have conversations about the safe consumption of alcohol with their children before they go on schoolies trips abroad.
“Be aware of the dangers, have a plan, talk to your children, make sure they do know what to do when they do get sick, it’s only going to help save lives,” she said.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said she is still seeking answers from Laotian authorities as to why no one has been charged over last year’s tragic poisoning.
She said she has reached out to representatives from Laos 50 times, but is yet to receive a response.
“We continue to offer AFP assistance, we’ve reiterated that offering including yesterday,” Wong said.
