Re: BW Campgrounds Rhythm & Vines 2010 Tickets
Posted by:
FUNdamental
()
Date: April 30, 2010 11:31AM
Than dude is really F'ed Up! Wrote:
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> Did they ever institute a 21 year old minimum
> drinking age in New Zealand? I know they were
> considering it because the current system of 18
> unless your parents supply it really doesn't work.
> There are some heavy mean drunks down there.
I saw this commentary on the report you asked about.
The Law Commission report on alcohol is a welcome relief in a debate too often dominated by the liquor industry and the alcohol purveyors of the hospitality sector.
The voices of reason have finally had their concerns at the unregulated promotion and sale of alcohol recognised formally. I'm not a fan of Geoffrey Palmer but he has overseen the production of a clear, sober reflection on the damage our binge-drinking culture does to people, especially teenagers, and developed a range of sensible proposals to deal with the problem.
The only significant weakness in the report is the recommendation proposing "moving over time to regulate alcohol advertising and sponsorship". This is a timid, half-hearted approach when a bolder, step-change approach is needed.
Just this morning I was driving through Otahuhu in Auckland and came across a huge billboard for a new RTD (ready-to-drink) of bourbon and cola with the message "Would you prefer to walk in on your parents or have them walk in on you?" This is blatant promotion of alcohol to teenagers by abusive booze barons and a cynical advertising industry which earns $200,000 a day from promoting the sale of alcohol. Of course such advertising to teens is outside the voluntary guidelines which the advertisers sign up to but who cares? And who's monitoring? Government regulation is the only way to stop this but it won't be happening anytime soon. The report is weak on this point and the government paralytic.
The report has predictably been attacked by the vested interests of the industry and the hospitality sector which benefit from their use and abuse of young New Zealanders to keep the profits flowing in. Hospitality claims that alcohol abuse affects only a small minority and asks why the law-abiding majority should be punished for the actions of the few. However the report points out that overall approximately 25 per cent of drinkers drink heavily when they drink and a commissioned survey found that "one in three, or 33 per cent of men aged 18-24 reported drinking enough to feel drunk at least weekly. And among all drinkers, one in 10, the equivalent of 224,600 people, reported drinking enough to become intoxicated at least once a week".
It's very disappointing but predictable that Justice Minister Simon Power has immediately ruled out a key recommendation of the report which called for an increase in the tax on alcohol which would increase the retail price by 10 per cent.
Such price increases would hit everyone but more important would hit hardest the drinking of heavy drinkers and teenagers who are particularly sensitive to the price of alcohol.
In the commission media release Palmer makes the point:
"A can of beer or an RTD can be bought for one or two dollars in many retail outlets. This is less than we pay for bottled water. One of the consequences of alcohol being promoted and sold at pocket-money prices is that we risk losing sight of its status as a legal drug, capable of causing serious harm to others."
Ideology, however, rules out government action on price. So which part of the report will the government look at? Power says their focus will be on changes which apply to where and when alcohol can be sold. This is the same Simon Power who, on becoming minister, rolled his sleeves up and asked the commission to bring forward its report by a year because the government was deeply concerned about alcohol abuse and its attendant consequences and wanted to act quickly.
But when the hubris is brushed off we have only a feeble, timid response. Focusing on where and when alcohol can be sold neatly sidesteps around the government's corporate cronies among the booze barons and the dealers of this dangerous drug.
Australia and other similar countries have confronted the price issue and have seen huge reductions in teenage consumption of RTDs (the "pocket-money priced" alcohol favoured by teenage girls in particular) to the benefit of the community.
Not surprisingly, the New Zealand head of Independent Liquor, Doug McKay, flew to Australia to argue fiercely with politicians against price increases on RTDs because it would hurt their sales in Australia. Aussie politicians stood up to McKay and the other booze barons and Australian teenagers are the beneficiaries. Here in New Zealand Power can't even get up on his feet let alone face them down.
This same McKay has just been appointed chief executive of the new Auckland super-city where he will have some responsibility in overseeing alcohol issues in the new city. Enough said.
Geoffrey Palmer points out the importance of the various recommendations not standing alone. A package of measures is needed to curb the problem. Having ruled out the most important recommendations the government will be tinkering while the body count rises.