4.08pm: Thanks for following our latest updates this afternoon. For more on our comprehensive coverage of the drinking debate, click here.
4.06pm: The Government's keenly awaited alcohol reforms will make no substantial difference to New Zealand's heavy drinking culture, says a spokesperson for Alcohol Action NZ.
"A small first step is not what we need. We need a package of the most effective measures in order to make a substantial difference,"
Professor Jennie Connor, Head of Preventive and Social Medicine at the University of Otago, said today.
"What has been announced are not sufficient to reset the 'normal' standard for drinking in New Zealand to something we can live with," she added.
Professor Doug Sellman, Director of the National Addiction Centre said the Government had announced a comprehensive suite of "half-hearted changes, policy tweaking and deferred initiatives, while failing to act on four evidence-based policies that would really make a difference", namely:
* Lowering the adult level for drinking and driving to 0.05 immediately, rather than 'doing more research'.
* Putting major restrictions on alcohol marketing, advertising and sponsorship to prevent the ongoing manipulation of ordinary New Zealanders, rather than just tinkering with promotions.
* Removing alcohol from supermarkets, where normalisation of alcohol to children and families occurs on a daily basis.
* Putting an end to extremely low alcohol prices now, rather than avoiding any decision by 'collecting more data'.
3.54pm: Reaction to the reform package from nzherald.co.nz readers:
"Does anyone stop to consider that drinking (in whatever volume) might actually be an enjoyable pastime for a lot of us?"
- James
"Changing deeply rooted perceptions and behaviours happens on a timescale measured in years or even decades, not weeks or months."
- Fraser
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3.47pm: The executive director of New Zealand's Business Roundtable says the Government deserves credit for its level-headed decisions on alcohol.
Roger Kerr said the Government had "clearly listened to evidence and argument and avoided over-reaction" in delivering its alcohol law reform package this afternoon.
However Kerr said he personally queried whether was much point in some of the decisions, such as increasing the purchase age to 20 for off-licences.
"The idea of introducing a minimum price system for alcohol would be untargeted and anti-consumer and highly unlikely to satisfy a regulatory impact analysis test," he said.
3.18pm: The Food & Grocery Council has welcomed the Government's alcohol law reform package, saying it is a pragmatic approach to addressing the harm caused by alcohol abuse, while recognising the rights of the majority of New Zealanders who enjoy alcohol in moderation.
"While we do not agree with every detail announced today, particularly those which could lead to wide variations in trading hours and introduce significant compliance costs, the overall package and direction of the reforms appear balanced," the council's CEO Katherine Rich said.
Click here to read Keep It 18 spokeswoman Jenna Raeburn's take on New Zealand's drinking age.
3.11pm: Some of the Law Commission recommendations rejected by the Government include:
* Exempting the Defence Force, Police and Fire Service from licensing legislation, though it has removed the exemption for the House of Representatives, meaning Parliament is now subject to liquor laws.
* Increasing the excise tax on alcohol by 50 percent and on low alcohol products up to 2.5 percent alcohol by volume.
* Giving licensees, managers and licensed door staff powers to confiscate false evidence of age.
* Introducing a cost-recovery regime giving police the power to serve a notice of debt on anyone who, because of intoxication, is driven home, placed in temporary shelter or put in a police cell.
* Allowing on-licences be able to remain open until their normal closing time on prohibited days and then not opening for another 24 hours. This was rejected because it would require an amendment to shop trading legislation.
* Supermarkets being required to keep alcohol in one place on their premises to restrict exposure and normalisation of alcohol for young people.
* It being an offence for anyone under 20 to drink or possess alcohol in a public place unless accompanied by a parent or guardian. The Government chose to keep the age at 18.
* Increasing the minimum age for people employed to sell alcohol from 18 to 20.
* Reducing the maximum fine for a breach of the liquor ban from $20,000 to $500.
3.02pm: Reaction on Twitter to the reform package:
"I like the split age legislation. At 18 I only want to go to clubs, and anyone 20+ can legally supply me with alcohol."
- lukeharries
"Drinking age - 18 or 20? This is an important social issue, especially to makers of fake ID."
- raybonkan
2.59pm: Labour MP Lianne Dalziel has accused the Government of tinkering rather than making substantial changes with its reform package.
She said issues with cheap alcohol from supermarkets, an oversupply of outlets and other issues needed to be tackled and putting off lowering the drink drive limit was "ridiculous".
2.53pm: Kiwiblog's David Farrar has added his two cents' worth on the reform package. He points out that, with 202 recommendations, the Law Commission report on which the package is based is one of the largest cabinet papers on record.
2.36pm: Reaction from Facebook to the reform package:
"Pathetic really. If 18-year-olds are treated and trialled as adults in court, then they should be treated as adults when buying alcohol... We're going to be the laughing stock. I don't know why the Government thinks we have an alcohol problem. If they go around the world then they would see that New Zealand is fairly average in terms of their drinking. More laws like these are just going to turn New Zealand into an even more boring place (if that's even possible) and encourage more people to go to Australia."
- Daniel Hustler
"It's a start but they need to do more... I think trading hours should be limited to start at 11am... and no trading trading on Sundays - except in restaurants... I don't think the split purchase age is going to make any difference to the drinking culture in this country.
- Vicki-Lee Tyacke
2.25pm: The Green Party has responded to today's announcement, saying while it supports the Government's proposed changes to liquor laws, it would like to see a stronger and more comprehensive approach adopted - particularly around advertising and price.
"Amendments to address price and advertising can easily be added to the legislation and we will be seeking to do this," Green Party alcohol spokesperson Sue Kedgley said.
"70 percent of liquor is now sold in supermarkets, and we will be pushing amendments that will prevent supermarkets from selling alcohol below cost."
2.00pm: Justice Minister Simon Power has unveiled the Government's alcohol law reform package, which was created in response to the Law Commission's review of alcohol laws in the report Alcohol in our Lives: Curbing the Harm.
Mr Power said the package was "a starting point for Parliament's consideration of our alcohol laws" and that the Government would "listen carefully to the public through the select committee process."
"I hope to introduce legislation to Parliament in October and plan to pass it into law before the end of this parliamentary term," he said
Some of the main features of the package include:
* Introducing a graduated approach to purchasing alcohol - 18 years of age for on-licences and 20 years of age for off-licences.
* Restricting RTDs to 5 per cent alcohol content and limiting RTDs to containers holding no more than 1.5 standard drinks.
* Making it an offence for anyone other than a parent or guardian to provide alcohol to an under-18-year-old without a parent's or guardian's consent.
* Where alcohol is provided to an under-18-year-old the parent, guardian or authorised person will need to ensure the alcohol is supplied in a responsible manner.
* Allowing the Minister of Justice, in consultation with the Minister of Health, to ban alcohol products which are particularly appealing to minors or particularly dangerous to health.
* Empowering local communities to decide on the concentration, location, and hours of alcohol outlets (including one-way-door policies) for both on and off-licences in their area through the adoption of local alcohol policies.
* Setting national default maximum hours of 7am - 11pm for off-licences and 8am - 4am for on-licence, club licence, and special licences for local authorities who do not adopt a local alcohol policy.
* Broadening the matters that must be considered in licensing decision-making to include such things as the object of the Act, the provision of the local alcohol policy, and whether the amenity or good order of the area would be lessened if the licence is granted.
* Strengthening the law on the type of stores eligible for an off-licence to reinforce the current approach that dairies and convenience stores are not eligible.
* Increasing penalties for a range of licence breaches, including allowing an intoxicated person to be on licensed premises, allowing violent behaviour to take place on premises, and running an irresponsible promotion.
* Widening the definition of 'public place' in liquor bans to include car parks, school grounds and other private spaces to which the public has legitimate access.
* Strengthening the existing offence of promotion of excessive consumption of alcohol by making it apply to any business selling or promoting alcohol, and setting out examples of unacceptable promotions, such as giving away free alcohol.
* Making it an offence to promote alcohol in a way that has special appeal to people under the purchase age. These changes will apply to any promotion, including TV advertising and billboards.
* Investigating a minimum pricing regime by giving retailers a year to provide sales and price data. If they are not forthcoming the Government will consider regulatory options for obtaining this data.
* Improving public education and treatment services for people with dependency issues.
* Requiring Parliament to lead by example by removing its licensing exemption.
For more on today's reform package, click here.
1.30pm: The Government is this afternoon set to announce details of all the changes it has adopted after a Law Commission report released in April made 153 recommendations on reducing the harm caused by alcohol.
Pricing changes have been ruled out but other measures have been signalled ahead of this afternoon's announcement.
Prime Minister John Key told Breakfast on TVNZ that the current lack of restrictions on who could supply young people with alcohol would change.
He said the Government had adopted or addressed 126 of the Law Commission recommendations.
Measures include:
* A vote on a split drinking age - 18-year-olds can go to bars but the limit will be 20 for off-licences. The issue will be dealt with as a conscience vote, not a party one.
* National opening and closing hours will be set. For an off-licence it will be 7am until 11pm. For bars it will be 8am to 4am;
* Local areas will be able to decide how many liquor outlets they have. They will also have a greater say on density, locality, hours of trade.
- NZ HERALD STAFF, NZPA
