Liquor law changes may lead to later drink uptake | Rotorua News | Local News in Rotorua

The Government's liquor law reform package is likely to keep teenagers away from drinking alcohol for longer, a Rotorua student says.

Justice Minister Simon Power yesterday announced a package which aims to minimise alcohol-related harm such as crime, disorder and public health problems. It also hones in on where harm is occurring, especially involving youth.

He said alcohol was estimated to contribute to 1000 deaths a year and was a major driver of crime - involved in 30 per cent of all police recorded offences, 34 per cent of recorded family violence and 50 per cent of all homicides.

He hopes to introduce legislation to Parliament in October and pass it into law before the end of the year.

One of the proposed changes includes introducing a split age which would keep the alcohol purchase age on licensed premises at 18, but raise the purchase age at liquor stores, supermarkets and other off-licences to 20.

Other changes include restricting pre-mixed drinks (RTDs) to five per cent alcohol and RTD containers to holding no more than 1.5 standard drinks, setting national off-licence opening and closing hours (7am to 11pm) and sales hours for licensed premises (8am to 4pm).

Communities will be able to decide how many liquor outlets they have, only parents or guardians will be able to provide alcohol to someone under 18 and the Minister of Justice, in consultation with the Minister of Health, will be able to ban alcohol products which are particularly appealing to minors or particularly dangerous to health.

The changes are being supported by Rotorua MP Todd McClay and Rotorua student Lincoln Pore, 19.

Lincoln said not being able to purchase alcohol from off-licence premises would make a huge difference and probably slow down younger children who hadn't yet started drinking.

Lincoln said high school students would often get alcohol from Year 13 students who were 18, so the changes would "cut out a lot of high school drinking".

"Over 20-year-olds don't really hang out with under 18s unless they're family," he said.

However, children who were already accomplished drinkers would probably carry on, despite the changes, he said.

He believed lowering the percentage of RTDs might reduce binge drinking, saying the drinks with eight per cent alcohol were causing problems.

Mr McClay welcomed the package, in particular communities being given more power in licensing issues and the restrictions on RTDs. Mr McClay said alcohol did great harm.

"Clearly we need to change attitudes - each proposal will assess that," Mr McClay said.

"We have the opportunity to make changes in New Zealand that will be positive and beneficial in our local communities."

He said it was unacceptable that young people were able to get alcohol and cause themselves harm.

"These law changes will go a long way in reducing [that]".

Mr Powers said the package was a starting point for Parliament's consideration of the country's alcohol laws.

However, Green Party alcohol spokeswoman Sue Kedgley said the Government should adopt a stronger approach.

She said the majority of almost 3000 submissions received by the Law Commission argued for stronger alcohol laws.

KEY FEATURES

The Government's alcohol reform package includes:

Introducing a split age, which would keep the alcohol purchase age on licensed premises at 18, but raise the purchase age at liquor stores, supermarkets and other off-licence premises to 20.

Restricting RTDs to five per cent alcohol and limiting RTD containers to holding no more than 1.5 standard drinks.

National opening and closing hours will be set for off-licence (7am to 11pm) and licensed premises (8am to 4pm).

Communities will be able to decide how many liquor outlets they have. They will also have a greater say on density, locality, hours of trade.

Making it an offence for anyone other than a parent or guardian to provide alcohol to an under-18-year-old without a parent or guardian's consent.

Allowing the Minister of Justice, in consultation with the Minister of Health, to ban alcohol products which are particularly appealing to minors or particularly dangerous to health.