Edmund Barton – Michmutters
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Australia

The history of Australia’s drinking culture from rum as a currency to non-alcoholic wine

Australia’s first prime minister, Edmund ‘Toby’ Barton, was many things: A leader, a visionary and as one of his obituaries summed up, “a great Australian.”

And, according to author Matt Murphy, he was also “an outright drunk.”

“If you look at our early parliaments — drunkenness was just accepted.”

And Barton is far from an exception. Since colonial times, Australia has been a country soaked in booze, as drinking has been both a national pastime and a source of untold harm and tragedy.

But is it finally starting to change?

colonial roots

When the First Fleet set off from England 235 years ago, its cargo was indicative of the kind of country Australia would become.

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