Alcohol bill introduced to Parliament
Last week the Government introduced the Alcohol Reform Bill into Parliament, aimed at tackling the serious harm caused by alcohol. While most New Zealanders drink responsibly, it’s clear that excessive drinking causes real harm to many families and communities.
We know that alcohol is a major driver of crime. It plays a part in 30 per cent of all offences, 34 per cent of family violence, and one in every two homicides.
This package focuses strongly on reducing harm, especially to young people.
The new law will make it an offence to supply liquor to under-18s without the permission of their parents, and places restrictions on the size and strength of pre-mixed drinks.
Kapiti Coast, Horowhenua and other local districts will be given more power over the location and opening hours of liquor outlets, and there will be set closing times for bars and off-licenses.
I’ll be casting my personal vote for a split purchase age. This means that the age limit of 18 will still remain for bars and restaurants, but it will be 20 years for takeaway alcohol from bottle stores and supermarkets.
I believe these reforms strike the right balance between reducing harm and trusting responsible people to make their own decisions about their drinking.
A select committee will be considering these changes and the Government will listen closely to public feedback.
On top of this, we’re working on new road safety laws focusing on the worst drink drivers. This includes alcohol interlocks which stop a vehicle starting if the driver is over the limit, tougher penalties and stricter conditions for repeat offenders.
We’re also raising the driving age from 15 to 16, making the restricted license test harder and introducing a zero alcohol limit for drivers under 20. Research will be carried out on the impact of drivers with a blood alcohol level between 0.05 and 0.08.
Of course legislation alone can’t turn around a culture of binge drinking, but it is an important start. Along with enforcement, education and treatment it can make a real difference.