Alcohol law reform package doesn’t go far enough

Labour's Justice spokesperson Lianne Dalziel says the Alcohol Law Reform Bill tabled today will be hugely disappointing to those who keenly anticipated a once in a generation chance to substantially reduce the harm that alcohol has fuelled.

“The Government is just tinkering with the law rather than making the substantial changes the Law Commission called for,” said Lianne Dalziel. "This will be very disappointing to thousands of Kiwis who submitted to the Law Commission.

"The fact that the Government has not gone far enough is underlined by the weekend's appalling behaviour at Eden Park, fuelled by alcohol where an existing alcohol ban was not enforced," Lianne Dalziel said.

"National hasn’t listened to those highlighting the cost and consequences of the current culture around drinking --- health care costs, especially emergency services; police dealing with alcohol-fuelled violence; disinhibition leading to unprotected sex and unplanned pregnancy; foetal alcohol syndrome --- they cost us all billions of dollars every year.”

Lianne Dalziel said she was disappointed that the Government had not put a line in the sand on this vital issue. “When I announced the Law Commission review as Associate Minister of Justice, I introduced a bill which addresses many issues in this bill, particularly Local Alcohol Plans that would give communities a say over licensing decisions and require parental consent for supply of alcohol to minors.

“Why have they kept that bill languishing at a select committee for over a year instead of amending it and getting on with it? Councils could have been setting up local alcohol plans now instead of having to wait for this bill to pass.”

Lianne Dalziel said it was unfair on all the people who had already submitted on the previous bill to have to do so all over again. "What is the benefit of making people re-submit on issues that were included in the bill I introduced before the last election? It is an insult to introduce a bill that has made so few advances on the issues that the Law Commission identified would make the biggest difference.

“The Minister ought to know by now that very cheap alcohol readily accessible through supermarkets (wine and beer) and countless liquor outlets (RTDs) is one of the main problems, and yet there is nothing that addresses this.”

Lianne Dalziel said that although the bill was disappointing Labour would support it to Select Committee in the hope that it can be significantly improved.

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