Law review looks at drinking culture

The legal age for drinking, beer advertisements and blood alcohol levels for drivers are being scrutinised as the Law Commission reviews the liquor laws.

The commission's review, the biggest since the Laking Report in the mid-1980s, will consider issues including the proliferation of liquor outlets and how alcohol consumption contributes to criminal offending.

Sir Geoffrey Palmer, who addressed the Pan Liquor Industry Symposium last week, said that although New Zealanders do not drink as much as Australians, the British, French or Irish the alcohol available for consumption per capita reached 9.5 litres last year - the highest volume since 1994.

Exacerbating the issue was a "high prevalence of hazardous drinking" where "binge drinking appears to be a particular problem".

Sir Geoffrey cited a number of social harms caused by alcohol.

He said both male and female youth were now at risk and alcohol made a "significant contribution" to criminal offending.

A spokesman for Justice Minister Simon Power said the review - introduced by the Labour Government last year - was sparked by the shooting of Navtej Singh during a robbery at his Manurewa liquor store last year.

At an Institute of Policy Studies criminal justice forum last week, Mr Power said that addressing alcohol as a driver of crime was a priority for the Government.

He has asked the Law Commission to speed up its review.

Alcohol Liquor Advisory Council chairman Peter Glensor welcomed the review saying the Sale of Liquor Act was nearly 20 years old.

Mr Glensor said there was a growing sense of frustration in communities when they did not have a say in determining the density and placement of liquor outlets.

"There is also the ongoing reality of the enormous impact of alcohol's cost on our community ... both the economic cost on the health system and the enormous proportion of police work which is directly linked to alcohol issues and, of course, the social cost."

Mr Glensor said while there were obvious concerns with minors drinking he was not optimistic that the drinking age, which was lowered to 18 in 1999, would be raised.

"I think there is very strong evidence that harm to young people has increased," he said.

"Unfortunately there's probably not a very strong chance of reversing that."

Hospitality Association chief executive Bruce Robertson said: "People are drinking to excess and minors are drinking and currently neither of those things is illegal.

"If we are saying intoxication is really bad then we need to look at the purchasing age."

ALCOHOL INQUIRY

A Law Commission review is examining aspects of the liquor industry, including:

* The proliferation of liquor outlets and the effect on consumption.
* The minimum age at which liquor can be bought.
* Parents' responsibilities to minors.
* Liquor outlet trading hours and advertising.
* The relationship between drinking and crime.