Liquor law changes aimed at youth

Justice Minister Simon Power said the pendulum had swung too far towards relaxation of liquor laws. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Government today announced a raft of proposed changes to liquor laws, aiming to reduce harm to young people while leaving "responsible New Zealanders" free to make their own decisions about the way they drink.

The Hospitality Association said the proposed changes wouldn't make much difference and alcohol watch groups said the measures fell far short of what was needed to address New Zealand's binge-drinking culture.

But Prime Minister John Key insisted the Government was taking the problem seriously, and had adopted 126 of the Law Commission's recommendations "in some shape or form".

The changes will affect where and when alcohol can be bought and the Government is proposing splitting the purchase age - leaving it at 18 for drinking in bars, and raising it to 20 for buying alcohol in supermarkets and other outlets.

The age split will be subject to a conscience vote in Parliament but all other changes are government policy.

A key change is that people supplying alcohol to people under 18 at private functions will have to have the permission of the parents or guardians of those minors, and face a $2000 fine if it is provided without consent.

Justice Minister Simon Power said the pendulum had swung too far towards relaxation of alcohol laws.

Bar opening times will be restricted to 8am to 4am, although casinos won't be affected, and off licence liquor sales outlets will be restricted to opening hours of 7am to 11pm.

Parliament will lose its exemption from liquor laws.

In some cases, Mr Power would be able to ban products particularly appealing to minors or particularly dangerous to health.

Other changes include tighter requirements on who can sell alcohol and where, plus tougher measures to control marketing.

Penalties for some offences will increase.

Today's announcement follows a Law Commission report released in April - Alcohol in Our Lives: Curbing the Harm - which made 153 recommendations on reducing the harm caused by alcohol, including tax increases and a wide-reaching tightening of rules around the sale of alcohol.

The Government has ruled out the excise recommendations but adopted many others.

Mr Power said the package was a starting point and the Government would listen to any issues raised during the select committee process after the legislation is introduced in October.

He intends having the bill passed by Parliament before next year's election.

"Alcohol is estimated to contribute to 1000 deaths a year, and is a major driver of crime, being implicated in 30 per cent of all police recorded offences, 34 per cent of recorded family violence, and 50 per cent of all homicides," Mr Power said.

"Our alcohol law reform package zeroes in where harm is occurring, particularly around young people.

"I think we've struck an appropriate balance between harm reduction and trusting responsible New Zealanders to make their own decisions about alcohol consumption."

Mr Key said binge drinking was a major social problem for New Zealand and the legislative changes were a measure to help, but attitudes overall needed to change.

Labour MP Lianne Dalziel accused the Government of tinkering rather than making substantial changes.

She said 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".

The Government says it needs two years to research the impact of lowering the general drink drive limit.

The Green Party said the Government should show some spine.

"While we support the steps the Government is proposing to take and will be voting for the legislation, we will be fighting tooth and nail to amend and strengthen it - particularly around advertising and price - to make it more comprehensive," said MP Sue Kedgley.

Sue Bagshaw, who works in youth health, said young people were targeted in changes when adults needed to start setting better examples.

She said alcohol needed to be less available and advertised and more expensive backed up by more treatment centres.

Alcohol Action spokesman Professor Doug Sellman, who is a National Addiction Centre director, said New Zealand was facing an alcohol crisis and from what he understood of the response it was like "treating cancer with a couple of aspirin".

"We expect widespread disappointment and anger when the public sees how little is really being proposed," he said.

- NZPA