Youth Unite To Oppose Alcohol Changes

A facebook page created by the youth wings of political parties has exploded to over 10,000 fans in the days following the announcement of the government's plans to change New Zealand's alcohol laws.

The Keep It 18 campaign, which successfully opposed similar plans in 2006, has been formed again by ACT on Campus, the Young Greens, Young Labour and the Young Nationals to fight the raising of the alcohol purchase age to 20.

The campaign set up a "Keep It 18" Facebook page to attract support from young New Zealanders who will be unfairly punished by the proposed law changes. The page has now gone viral, attracting more than 10,000 young people already and continuing to grow by more than a thousand supporters a day.

"Young people are opposed to this policy because it unfairly targets them, even if they drink responsibly," said Keep It 18 spokesperson, Jenna Raeburn.

"This is really a wakeup call for MPs who think that young people are ignorant or uninterested. It's disappointing that some politicians use youth as a scapegoat for wider societal problems or as an easy way to appeal to older voters. Young people deserve better from their representatives," said Ms Raeburn.

"Keep It 18 defeated plans to raise the purchase age to 20 in 2006 and with the support of thousands of young New Zealanders we plan to do so again."

"Young people are opposed to this policy because it unfairly targets them, even if they drink responsibly, and it's fantastic to see them getting engaged in politics"

ENDS

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