Disappointment At Retaining Drinking Age At 18 Years.
Manukau City Councillor, Su’a William Sio says that most people will be disappointed with the outcome of Parliament’s
debate on raising the legal drinking age.
Councillor Sio says that most people in the community saw the raising of the drinking age from 18 to 20 years as a
practical step towards achieving real & positive outcomes in combating the culture of binge drinking.
“Raising the drinking age to 20 would’ve have sent a clear and positive message right throughout the country for more
maturity and more responsibility in the behaviour of the drinking public,” says Councillor Sio.
“Ultimately parents have the final say to what age their young people should be drinking at and young people need to be
encouraged towards being more responsible with alcohol, but alcohol tends to take away people’s control of their
emotions and actions especially amongst young people.”
“What our communities now need to do is to get involved in the proposed review of the restrictions on the supply and
sale of liquor to under 18 year olds and let the parliamentarians know about the alcohol related problems we regularly
see on our streets.”
Ends.