Liquor bill unsteady on legs
Candor Trust

Candor Trust endorses the Salvation Army's criticism of the new Liquor Act and Candor's policy analysts also believe that the aspects criticised by the Sallies which has called to scrap it are concerning. A presumption that alcohol is bad only in ways that communities say it is, and that places coul ban consumption will result in a chaotic approach, say Candor.

The Bill is merely tinkering with the problems associated with (controls around) a drug which contributes directly to family violence, road fatalities and increasing youth offending, and a comprehensive review and more effective actions are needed that do not load excessive responsibility on local councils the Salvation Army are claiming.

"Contributes" is the word say Candor, which in it's submissions to the Bill like-mindedly objected to the complete discretion of Councils to dictate contents of social impact reports and providers of content, where Councils seek them. And to the assumption that contents (wheresuch reports are even sought) should be solely based upon values derived from localised objections. What if some communities are apathetic, or ill informed or if some Councillors have axes to grind or like a tipple?

Communities and Councils do not necessarily have the resources, expertise or skills to manage impacts of a drug like alcohol in it's modern presentation - it is often now being used in conjunction with other drugs which makes effects even more volatile. Harm reduction is not powerfully achieved by attempts to control supply, and the Bill fails to place the focus on more powerful measures.

Many alcohol impacts are clearly cumulative (not from one off purchases), constitute National concerns &don't even manifest in local areas when they do occur eg fatal crashes tend to occur on transit routes. Quality studies warn that allowing a community to reject an outlet or outlets en masse via "Local Alcohol Plans" based on completely fluid and potentially kneejerk criteria could be detrimental to road safety.

Low outlet density causes drink drivers to travel further afield to stock up, to do more mileage drunk, and crash more frequently but further afield (perhaps outside the Governing Councils boundary in New Zealands future). Candor workers are unanimous in reaching the verdict that "A return to wet and dry locales, with liquor stores foreseeably piled up on territorial boundaries, is a fools paradise for road safety".

A broader view than just considering reasonable or unreasonable local concerns - given no agreed standardised content of social impact reports is laid out, essential. Giving all power to Councils will not promote a unified approach. Some may influence decisions too conservatively, while others may err to recklessness.

Social impact reports if they are to be key to licensing decisions must not be "anything goes" affairs as decided by Local Government Officials - with no requirement for them in some cases. They will be quite useless also if not required to at least professionally cover key areas including road safety impacts.

As Major Campbell of the Sallies says "it is feasible and preferable to use national regulations to achieve the Bill’s aims, rather than place yet another burden on local communities". Candor foresees that the piecemeal approach advocated within the Bill will be used by a rapacious liquor industry to divide and conquer local Councils, by insidious tactics.

Another flaw pointed out by the Sallies is that the Bill’s focus on youth drinking appears to be something of a distraction and a case of moral panic in that it ignores the problem drinking of older New Zealanders, say the Sallies. An important point Candor agree.

While Candor mildly endorses the introduction of a zero limit for young drivers, it must be noted that the youth toll is not largely alcohol driven like that of males aged 30-50. Historically low drink driving harm among youth shows they've got the message, and the message they now need is that substituting other drugs to evade checkpoints isn't on.
Analyses has shown cannabis is about 3 times the problem of drink driving in drivers under 20.

The bleary eyed tunnel vision of this alcohol panic Bill in failing to address the big picture of drug driving (alcohol and all risk drugs), midst many other significant issues dodged, means it will in many regards be low cal or even Claytons in effect. Possibly even detrimental to social interests; if power to dictate licensing decisions is sloppily off loaded to the Councils.

ENDS

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