Radio broadcaster and reformed alcoholic Derryn Hinch says he will not drink again because decades of alcohol abuse nearly cost him his life.

The 64-year-old talk show host nearly died from blood poisoning in 2006 and last year revealed he also had advanced cirrhosis brought on by a lifetime of boozing.

Reflecting on his past as a "professional drunk", Hinch - who underwent surgery last year to remove a liver tumour - said binge drinking was one of society's worst problems.

"I don't drink now, never will again. If I get a titanium liver, I still won't drink again," Hinch told an arbias (Alcohol Related Brain Injury Australian Services) forum in Melbourne.

"A couple of years ago I was so pissed I had advanced cirrhosis of the liver - not had, have - I was on the list for a transplant which, lucky for me, I now do not need.

"After decades of drinking ... effectively I was a professional drunk, never missed a day from alcohol, didn't have hangovers, had the constitution of an ox and always turned up for work."

Hinch said today's alcohol culture had resulted in widespread criticism of non-drinkers, adding much more was known about the dangers of drinking today than 20 or 30 years ago.

"I've had friends who've gone to pubs and I'll say 'I'll have a lemon squash, they'll say 'why, you're a girl!', a female says 'I'm not drinking'. Are you pregnant, is there something we should know about?'" Hinch added.

"The non-drinkers are (treated like) a criminal - that's something that has to be done over.

"The thing is, we do know more now about what effects alcohol has on your brain.

"I didn't know that alcohol affects your teeth, that alcohol through your teeth affects your heart, I didn't know that the liver, which I thought was something you fed the cat, is probably the most important organ in your body."

The arbias conference aims to build on its key national campaign, A Hangover for Life, which was launched last year with the goal of uniting government and community organisations to develop solutions for tackling the problems of binge drinking and alcohol-related violence.

Arbias general manager John Eyre said the mental health issues associated with alcohol abuse had gone unnoticed for a long time, but acknowledged the new federal government had begun to address the problem.

"The previous government was strongly focused on illicit drugs and didn't want to know about alcohol," Mr Eyre said.

"This government appears to be very interested in tackling the problems around alcohol.

"Our goal is to become prominent, to become known by the government and say we can work with you and we can educate the community."