Kiwi Party submission to Law Commission's Liquor Project

The Kiwi Party
Press Release
9 November, 2009

Kiwi Party Leader Larry Baldock has welcomed the opportunity through the Law Commission's Liquor Project to express the Party’s deep concern at the level of harm caused by irresponsible alcohol consumption in New Zealand.

“Along with the Law Commission we believe there needs to be significant changes to our drinking laws to address this issue,” said Mr Baldock.

“We understand that there is a role to be played by both the law and individuals in taking responsibility for our drinking culture. However, a strong change in the law that clearly emphasizes the harm alcohol can cause, combined with a comprehensive education campaign, is in our view required before individuals will collect

Alcohol related crime accounts for a third of all police apprehensions; 70 per cent of all emergency hospital admissions are due to alcohol; $425 million was paid out by ACC for alcohol related injuries in 2007; half of all serious violent crimes are related to alcohol; the cost to the public health sector is $655 million a year (which is up to 10% of According to a Massey University study of 16,500 people published in the New Zealand Medical Journal, nearly 7 per cent of men and 3 per cent of women had been physically assaulted in the previous year. One in 100 women had been sexually assaulted, and one in 200 men. More than half the physical and sexual assaults were by people who had been drinking. Alcohol Mr Baldock said these awful statistics show that it is essential we address these issues through a new approach to the law. This must not end as just another talkfest without arriving at concrete actions to implement change.

Kiwi_Party_Liquor_Submission-1.pdf

ENDS

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