A bush survivor of rural alcoholism has slammed John Barilaro for his dismissal of putting minimum pricing on alcohol. 

The Deputy Premier has slammed the idea of putting a floor price on alcohol as part of attempts to curb alcoholism, especially in rural areas.

Shanna Whan, who founded alcohol-awareness movement Sober in the Country after she almost died from what she calls “invisible alcoholism”, says she’s disappointed by the comments.

“I was pretty saddened when I saw him flippantly dismiss that.

“Why do our parliamentarians and politicians invest so much time and energy into talking about festival pill deaths [and] methamphetamines?

“We haven’t had a collaborative, united approach to tackle alcohol in this country for nearly ten years, and I’m saying ‘why?’ It’s not good enough.”

She’s now dedicated to campaigning for better services for those who live rurally after her own raging alcoholism left her suicidal and almost killed her before she’d even turned 40.

“When you live remotely and rurally it’s pretty hard to find services and support that makes sense to you at the right time and in the right place.

“I’m a cracking example of someone who slipped through the cracks of the health care system for nearly 25 years.

“I’m done with being polite about it… people are dying and I don’t think it’s good enough.”

Click PLAY below to hear the full interview

Visit Shanna’s alcohol-awareness website HERE