NZ must deal with youth drinking and ignore Australian threats

Reports today that children are being treated for alcohol and addiction, show the urgent need for the Alcohol Law Reform bill to be significantly strengthened, Green Party alcohol spokesperson Sue Kedgley said today.

The Alcohol Law Reform bill is currently before Parliament’s Justice select committee. 

“If we are to reduce youth drinking, the bill needs to regulate the marketing, accessibility, price and purchase age of alcohol, and the strength of Ready to Drinks (RTD’s), as these are targeted at young people,” said Ms Kedgley.

In recent weeks the bill has come under fire from liquor companies who argue that attempts to tighten liquor laws will impact on trade agreements, and may therefore be illegal. An Australian alcohol company has told Parliament they would skirt New Zealand law changes by using trade loopholes and sell high strength RTDs, even if they were made illegal in New Zealand.

“The statistics regarding youth drinking in Auckland show the need for Parliament to ignore the threats made by an Australian owned liquor company,” said Ms Kedgley.

“New Zealand has a serious problem with more and more young people getting addicted to alcohol.

“RTDs with their high sugar content and flavours are particularly attractive to this demographic.

“Overseas liquor companies should not be able to subvert New Zealand lawmakers’ attempts to deal with the harm that alcohol can cause.

“Any attempt by overseas corporations to influence our legislative process should be strongly resisted.

“New Zealand is a sovereign country not the seventh state of Australia,” said Ms Kedgley.