Legal drinking age to be raised to 21?

Members of the opposition Liberal Party pounced on Mr Rudd’s remarks, saying a change to the law would deprive 18-year-olds of their rights as adults.

The national president of the Young Liberals Movement, Richard Wilson, said it would be unacceptable for Mr Rudd to impose such a ban on people over the age of 18.

"The majority of young people are behaving in a very responsible manner and for Government to come in and ban them from having a drink or having a good time is not the right thing to do," he said.