News

Review of Liquor Supply to under 18 year olds welcomed

17.10.2007

Hamilton West Member of Parliament Martin Gallagher has welcomed the review. It is a direct result of the Sale of Liquor (Youth Alcohol Harm Reduction) Amendment Bill which Mr Gallagher sponsored but which was subsequently unsuccessful in the Parliament.

“While I still personally favour raising the purchasing age to 20, I respect the will of the Parliament and this review is a positive step in the right direction”, Mr Gallagher said.

“I strongly support the recommendation to have a zero limit for drivers under the age of 20 who do not hold a full licence. I personally believe that this is a very important issue to be thoroughly discussed in terms of any young person driving and consuming alcohol at the same time irrespective of how long they have had their licence”, Mr Gallagher said.

“I also strongly support the “three strikes and you’re out” proposal to outlets who supply liquor to under 18 years olds. This will be a wake-up call for liquor outlets including corner dairies that there will now be very serious consequences if they do not check IDs”, Mr Gallagher said.

“I believe a broader debate needs still to be had around the way supermarkets and liquor outlets aggressively promote price discounting, making cheap liquor very attractive and available to younger people”, Mr Gallagher said.

“I welcome the proposed changes to the Sale of Liquor Act. I do believe the Parliamentary select committee process will be a very important platform for the public to have their say on the proposed measures. I urge members of the community to make their views known on these very important issues, by either making submissions to the select committee or by contacting their local MP”, Mr Gallagher said.

Key proposals of the review included:

· regulating social supply by creating an offence for adults (other than parents or guardians) to supply alcohol to a minor who consumes it in a public place; · creating an infringement offence for a minor to supply alcohol to another minor who consumes it in a public place; · Implementing early intervention programmes as an alternative sanction to infringement notices; · implementing a “three strikes and you’re out” approach to managers who are convicted three times for selling liquor to a minor within a two-year period; and · amending the law so that the only defence for selling alcohol to a minor is if the seller sighted one of the approved specified age identification documents.

“The review highlighted the need for changing the attitudes and behaviour of young people, parents, and communities in addressing the harms arising from youth drinking.” Mr Gallagher said.

Hopefully an appropriate regulatory environment, public awareness, effective enforcement, and improved compliance by industry will support this change over time.” Mr Gallagher said. “However if there are not significant changes to the youth drinking culture and ease of access to liquor by young people it is very clear that the community will demand that Parliament raises the drinking age as was originally proposed by my bill.”

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