Government in urgency, set to bury their weak Alcohol NON-Reform Bill by the end of the week

 Is the Government trying to bury its impotent response to New Zealand’s heavy drinking culture by quickly and quietly passing the Alcohol Reform Bill under cover of the Rugby World Cup?

 “It looks as if the Government wants the Alcohol Reform Bill done and dusted by Friday,” says Alcohol Action spokesperson Prof Doug Sellman.

“After three years of submissions to the Law Commission, public mobilisation, a Select Committee and deliberate delays, the Government now pushes the Alcohol Reform Bill up the Parliamentary Order Paper in order to pass the Bill quickly, while the Rugby World Cup has the public’s attention.”

“It has been clear during this long process that the Government isn’t yet committed to effective law reform. They are now acting to limit the political fall-out from wasting a golden opportunity by two main lines of spin: firstly, by emphasising they are at least doing something; and secondly, by using the alcohol industry’s PR line that change in the heavy drinking culture will come through individuals taking more responsibility for themselves.”

“The Government has now at least acknowledged what Alcohol Action and many others have been saying,” added Professor Jennie Connor, “that there is a serious alcohol problem in NZ communities, and that measures to control pricing, accessibility, alcohol marketing, and drink-driving are going to be needed.”

“The problem is they are not yet prepared to actually do anything substantial. We need them to put the interests of ordinary New Zealanders ahead of the interests of the alcohol industry. They have done this with tobacco companies to reduce smoking and they can do the same to reduce heavy drinking”.

Professor Doug Sellman
Director, National Addiction Centre University of Otago

www.alcoholaction.co.nz

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