Booze bill targets supermarket sales
Supermarkets will only be able to store and advertise alcohol in one “non-prominent” part of their premises, if the Alcohol Reform Bill becomes law.
The justice and electoral select committee reported back on the bill late yesterday [Thursday] and the government accepted all 130 substantive changes to existing legislation that it recommended.
Justice Minister Simon Power said the change to the rules surrounding supermarket sales of alcohol was to reduce concern about the normalising effect of alcohol sales alongside other everyday household goods, and to reduce the exposure of young people to alcohol.
Among its other provisions are a split drinking age of 18 for bars and 20 for off-licence purchases, alcohol limits for ready-to-drink beverages and reduced opening hours.
More than 8000 submissions on the bill were received and the select committee was granted two extensions, having originally been due to report back in May.
Mr Power said he intended to see the bill through its second reading before parliament rose on October 6.
It’s anticipated that most changes will be in force within 12 months of the legislation being passed, he said.
Cabinet has also agreed to establish an expert forum to consider the effectiveness of further restrictions on advertising and sponsorship to reduce alcohol-related harm, Mr Power said.
The forum could examine current research and international developments, as well as the outcomes from the Advertising Standard Authority’s current review of the code for advertising liquor, Mr Power said.
“The forum could also consider what impact further restrictions, such as those proposed by the Law Commission, would have on the recipients of sponsorship funding, such as community organisations and sports teams.”
Officials are working to have the terms of reference confirmed by the end of the year, he said, with forum members to be appointed early next year.
“The forum will report back to the ministers of justice and health within a year of the bill being passed on whether they consider further restrictions should be made.”
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Comments and questions11
If the expert committee includes Doug Sellman....
I some times wonder by, having no age limit on consumption of liquor would it have any any more consequences as by having a age limit, IF THEY WONT THE STUFF THEY WILL GET IT AT ANY COST we need to focus more on drug education,including alcohol.
It took something like a hundred years to show 18year olds the respect as adults that they get with voting, joining the army, marriage etc, by leveling the drinking age with every other legal right.
Reversing this to stop the whinging of a few flag waving temperance killjoys is a very worrying and purely populist step backwards.
I don't see supermarkets as the problem; they only sell wine and beer and I don't observe large quantities of either being checked out and mostly by the maturer age group. The bigger problem is with RTDs and spirits which the younger element are increasingly using and can only get from liquor outlets.
Any mention of.....ah, drugs. E.g. drug testing of drivers routinely?
So, must mean there's nothing Kronic there then?
Very reassuring.
Once again National is pushing the Nanny state agenda on us.
supermarkets are part of the problem, good that they are being closed down.now to put a bil for all people to not drink under tha age of 20.and close many more booze shops down, drink is a terrible drug on people,like gambling but much easier to drink
Why do we listen to the people who apparently think that the super markets are to blame for those drinking under age. It seems the wowsers want them damned and the public over 20 to be penalised in the cost of wine adults consume. We are putting the clock back to the middle of last century, 6 o'clock closing and all that.
Has anybody considered the effect on our wine industry which is a major export industry? Frankly I hope our Parliamentarians throw this part of the Bill out.
Most of the broken glass you see after the weekend is RTD's; the drinks designed for children and those acting like them.
The more that alcohol consumption is normalised alongside food the better.
Alcohol pretty much ruined my life. Firstly, I had a horrible cut on my back and broke my left leg in one place. After the accident, due to severe liver damage, so if you want my advice, never drink a sip of alcohol again. i am currently working in internet marketing, I feel better than ever. Alcohol can only do you harm.
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