THE SALVATION ARMY
MEDIA RELEASE

MEDIA RELEASE,
Issued on the Authority of Major Campbell Roberts Director Social Policy and Parliamentary Affairs, The Salvation Army, New Zealand Fiji & Tonga Territory

For immediate release
9 May 2007

"Why do we need it - alcohol advertising that is?"
asks 21 year old Amie Baker.

"Surely alcohol is in our faces enough already. Everywhere I go, the supermarket, the local dairy - I can't get away from it." says 21 year old Amie Baker "I don't drink so am not interested in the stacks of cans, rows of wine bottles, TV ads,internet competitions or discount voucher from spunky guys. I am sick of having alcohol pushed at me.

When I was still at school the kids could mimic the beer TV ads more accurately than they could say their times tables." Amie is now an intern at The Salvation Army Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit based at Manukau and was disappointed to read that the Steering Group reviewing alcohol advertising report indicating no intention of changing the current excesses of alcohol marketing. "How can they think that high school kids are not influenced by messages that portray everything that a young person wants; popularity, mates, sex, free choice. Of course they are influenced - and the alcohol producers know it."

What is this report, or this government going to do to protect teenagers from the alcohol fuelled outrage that occurred in Christchurch on Saturday night killing two 16 year olds? Listening to the witnesses on TV the common threads are teenagers and alcohol."

The Green Party's Bill calling for the end to broadcast liquor advertising and the advertising component of the Sale of Liquor (Youth Harm Amendment) Bill were both deferred awaiting the Alcohol Advertising Review. We hope those Bill sponsors will resurrect the call to ban alcohol advertising in New Zealand so removing a seductive and persuasive force that has pushed our alcohol consumption to a 20 year high and made excess drinking a norm for our teenagers.

ENDS

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