Working Together Conference 2009 – A Focus On New Zealand And Alcohol
MEDIA ADVISORY
8 MAY 2009

The Alcohol Advisory Council’s (ALAC) Working Together 2009 conference is being held in Wellington next week. More than 300 delegates are expected to attend the conference being held at the Intercontinental Hotel in Wellington on Thursday, May 14 and Friday, May 15.

The conference will focus on reducing the harm from alcohol in our communities. The conference will highlight and discuss the many levels where change is happening, focusing across local government, community action, health, policy and legislation and research.

Conference delegates will discuss emerging alcohol-related harm issues and identify challenges and opportunities in the field.

The international keynote speaker is Dr Peter Rice who is a member of the Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP) Executive Committee. Dr Rice is one of Scotland's leading medical voices on alcohol and has played a key role in influencing the Scottish Government on the areas of alcohol services and effective alcohol policy. Scotland has just released a range of measures aimed at overcoming many of the problems New Zealand is facing, such as the easy cheap availability of alcohol, irresponsible alcohol promotions and a culture of binge drinking. Dr Rice addresses the conference on Thursday.

On Friday, the Law Commission President Sir Geoffrey Palmer will speak on the Commission’s review of New Zealand’s regulatory framework of alcohol which will be followed by a workshop on reform options.

Other keynote speakers include Associate Minister of Health Peter Dunne; New Zealand Drug Foundation Executive Director Ross Bell and Queenstown Mayor Clive Geddes.

The conference programme can be viewed on the ALAC website: www.alac.org.nz.

ENDS

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