New Zealand’s public health experts are calling for concerted actions to reduce the significant harm caused to people, whānau and communities by Aotearoa New Zealand’s drinking culture and environment. “Unfortunately, the objectives of the current Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act of 2012, including the minimisation of alcohol harm, have not been achieved as we would have hoped,” says Dr Jim Miller, the President of the New Zealand College of Public Health Medicine (NZCPHM).

The NZCPHM has endorsed the open letter circulated by Alcohol Healthwatch, and being presented at Parliament this week, supporting reform, calling for the immediate review and reform of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 to reduce alcohol accessibility. “Reducing the human and economic cost of harmful drinking will improve the health and wellbeing of the New Zealand population,” says Dr Miller.

The national and international evidence base on reducing harm from alcohol is extensive, strong and consistent. Changing Aotearoa New Zealand’s drinking culture and environment requires a range of actions to address supply and demand and to minimise risk.

Alcohol harm in Aotearoa New Zealand is highly inequitable, impacting Māori, children, young adults and men disproportionately. Urgent Government action is needed to protect these groups from the effects of hazardous drinking, some of which is related to over-supply. There are higher concentrations of liquor outlets in areas of deprivation. The intention of the Bill to abolish appeals on local policies to provide proper local control over alcohol regulation will also protect vulnerable communities from repeated licencing requests and appeals for unsuitable additional outlets and extended hours of access to alcohol made by well-funded industry advocacy and legal challenge.

“We are pleased to see that the Bill also implements a number of the recommendations of the 2014 Ministerial Forum on Alcohol Advertising and Sponsorship (particularly in sport). This too aligns with the College’s updated Policy Statement on Alcohol, says Dr Miller. “These are strong public health initiatives that we fully support.”

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