Young Labour opposes splitting the legal purchasing age

Young Labour opposes splitting the legal purchasing age for buying alcohol and rejects the argument that stopping those under 20 from purchasing alcohol at off-license premises will have any impact on the attitudes that youth hold towards drinking.

"MPs and lawmakers in suggesting this proposal have demonstrated how out of touch they are with the reality of New Zealand’s drinking culture" said Young Labour Keep it 18 Spokesperson Nicola Wood.

"The primary argument for the split age is that if 18 and 19 year olds are no longer able to purchase alcohol from off license establishments, then this will somehow curb binge-drinking amongst youth."

"This viewpoint fails to address the reality of how young drinkers gain access to alcoholic beverages and the ways in which they form potentially harmful drinking habits. If you surveyed the average young person, you would find that, overwhelmingly, their attitudes towards alcohol are influenced by the behaviour of the adults in their lives".

"The split age also implies that drinking in licensed establishments makes the consumption of alcohol safer. This does nothing to change our drinking culture; it just entrenches harmful behaviour in licensed premises".

"When the Law Commission first released their report, Sir Geoffrey made reference to scenes "no civilised society can relish." Apparently, this was a reaction to a night spent out on the town where he saw young people who were under the influence of alcohol loitering on the streets."

"The split age will do nothing to counteract the scenes that offended Sir Geoffrey, as young people will have no alternative safe, supervised place to consume alcohol" said Wood

President of Young Labour, Analiese Jackson, thinks that the split age will do more harm than good: "Whilst we agree that New Zealand’s drinking culture is an issue that definitely needs to be redressed, aiming reforms primarily at those aged 18-20 will do little to influence or change the average New Zealander’s attitude towards alcohol."

"Research conducted by Professor Doug Sellman of the National Addictions Centre has shown that 92 per cent of "problem drinkers" in New Zealand are over the age of 20, indicating that young people should not be held solely accountable for New Zealand’s attitudes towards drinking."

Young Labour urges all MPs, irrespective of their political party, to reject any changes to the status quo in regards to the purchasing age.

"Changing the attitudes towards drinking is an issue where everyone should be held accountable. Problem drinkers are problem drinkers because of their attitudes, not because of their age" concluded Wood.

ENDS

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