Drinking age vote: MPs out of step with NBR subscribers
NBR Business Pulse Results
Last night, 68 MPs voted to keep the alcohol purchasing age at 18, defeating a push to raise the age to 20 (supported by 53; see how each MP voted here).
In voting for the status quo, respresentatives were out of step with NBR readers.
A poll of paid subscribers, open Aug 27-31, found 56% favoured raising the age to 20.
22% favoured a split age, and just 23% favoured keeping it at 18.
"Every MP who voted for keeping the drinking age at 18 should be forced to spend this Saturday night at their local A & E between 11pm and 3am," read a typical comment after NBR's story on the vote result.
On the other side of the argument, a typical keep-it-at-18 comment read "If 18 year olds have the right to get married, drive, smoke and buy cigarettes, go to university/work, have children, pay for adult fares for bus, train, planes and hotels... They should be responsible enough to drink. Don't punish the 95% of 18+ because of some stupid mistakes others make when drinking."
Others in the keep-it-at-18 camp acknowledged a binge drinking culture existed, but said education and parental responsibility were the answers.
Some of those who vote for a split age in the first round of voting, including Prime Minister John Key, argued that supervised drinking in pubs was less likely to cause problems (Mr Key voted for 18 in the second and final vote after the split option placed third and was dropped).
A cynic noted, "The trouble for JK is that 18 year olds can vote and that is solely his reasoning behind policy." Read more comments here.
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Comments and questions11
Parliament got it dead right.
Except they didn't tell anyone why the "drunk and disorderly" crime isn't used?? Can anyone tell us??
NBR survey swayed to older and conservative demographic.
Yep! Fracked in the head ! Alzheimers :-)
I'd said MP's are out of step with most of New Zealand on this not just NBR readers.
I've never known a time when so many politicians on so many issues are out of touch with mainstream NZ. How to be rid of them , now thats the problem.
The right decision. Anyone who thinks keeping them out of bars will stop 18 year olds drinking has had their memory of being 18 dulled by the passage of tears (hence the NBR poll).
I'd rather they spend their night's budget on a few drinks at bars than on the cheap beer or spirits they would have at a friend's house.
The difference between MPs and the knee-jerk reaction of the public, is simply that MPs have studied statistics to see where the problem lies, and see no point in simply moving an arbitary line. Anyone who bothered listening to the parliamentary debates would realise how futile simply moving the bar would be. Furthermore, introducing laws that will be widely disrespected is bad legislation. There is a problem, and there is a better solution.
Congratulations to our politicians. For once they got it right. Rightly or wrongly we decreed, some years ago, that the age of majority was not to be 21, but rather was to be 18. You can't do that, and then keep changing your mind about whether that's the right age or not. If we were wrong about that as regards drinking liquor, then we would need to also admit that it was wrong re the vote and all of the other things that go with reaching the age of majority.
We just need parents to teach the next generation how to handle liquor in moderation and have fun with it without using it destructively. A hard ask, apparently.
What is more sickening for Mr Average NZer is the support JK is giving to the gay marriage hysteria.
They were never going to increase the age, for ONE reason .....the tax they earn from the highest alcohol consumers.
The govt needs to start listening to those who pay their salaries and who vote them in and out.
It is indeed disappointing that govt ignored the chance to show a lead in our battle against alcohol; instead they show indifference!
liberte