Alcohol: The New Election Issue
Justice Minister Simon Power has today announced that the Government welcomes the report from the Justice and Electoral
Select Committee on the Alcohol Law Reform Bill. “We’ve agreed to accept all 130 substantive changes to clauses to help
us build a strong and enduring legislative framework to reduce alcohol-related harm and support a safe and responsible
drinking culture,” the Minister says.
Due to the timing of the election, this bill will not be able to be put into law until after a new Parliament is
elected. Tamaki Independent candidate Stephen Berry is glad to have the opportunity to make alcohol laws an issue for
this election. “Voters can be sure that I will stand in steadfast opposition to every new law and restriction proposed
in this bill. This election I promise to be a beacon for individual liberty against the dark spectre of nanny state
legislation being propagated by the National Socialist government.”
Sections of this bill will severely restrict the operations of supermarkets, with proposals including controls on where
liquor can be displayed in a supermarket in an effort to make alcohol less prominent. “An entire industry will be forced
to spend hundreds of millions of dollars altering their store layouts because the Government thinks you are too stupid
to make decisions for yourself,” Berry says.
This bill will also have the effect of destroying competition in the market and will likely lead to Muldoon style price
controls. “So called convenience stores will be banned from selling alcohol entrenching the market share of big liquor
industry players. The Government will also be demanding pricing data from liquor industry participants in order to
assist the Government in implementing a minimum pricing regime. Justice Minister Power assures us that regulation will
be used to obtain this data if liquor retailers are slow in providing it.”
“Worse is plan by our politicians to restrict advertising of alcohol which is a horrific destruction of basic rights to
freedom of speech. The bill as it stands seeks to ban the promotion of any price reductions over 25% of regular retail
price outside of liquor retail premises.”
Other features of this planned law include a graduated purchase age of 18 for on-license and 20 for off-licenses. “The
politicians further demonstrate their lack of faith in adults to make their own decisions about their lives by
controlling where they can purchase and drink alcohol. People old enough to die for their country and elect our gang of
thieves apparently are not old enough to buy a box of beer and take it home to drink.”
Finally, it isn’t just freedom of speech and personal sovereignty that will be destroyed by this law. Private property
rights face extra violation too. The law will widen the definition of public place in regard to liquor bans to include
areas that are private property such as car parks and other areas the public has ‘legitimate’ access to. “The only area
of private property a member of the public should have access to is one where they are deemed to have been given
permission by the property owner. This law will lead to more private property being deemed effectively public.”
Stephen Berry is a determined advocate of individual liberty, holding it to be a higher concept than any of the excuses
politicians will trot out to destroy it. “Unlike the populist gang of 122 sitting in our Parliament today I will not use
fear mongering over public safety as an excuse to destroy liberty.”
“I completely oppose any attempt by politicians to implement any further restrictions over alcohol laws. My policy is
that if alcohol is not being supplied to anyone under eighteen, then it is of no business of the Government. If elected
I will vote to liberalise laws surrounding alcohol and all other restricted substances.”
Ends