An announcement on changes to alcohol legislation is likely in the next few weeks, Prime Minister John Key says.
The government was considering a Law Commission report released in April which made 153 recommendations on reducing the harm caused by alcohol, including tax increases and a wide-reaching tightening of rules around the sale of alcohol.
Today, Mr Key said the government had considered the recommendations and was speaking to other political parties.
He expected a public announcement on likely changes in about three weeks.
"A lot of people drink and they drink moderately and sensibly and it's fine but this is about tackling harm," he told TV One's Breakfast programme.
Harm was caused by very young, 13-15-year-olds, access to alcohol, excessive drinking by 18-24-year-olds and those addicted to alcohol, he said.
"We've got a binge drinking culture in New Zealand...legislating to change that is difficult, we all have to want to buy into that as a community."
Yesterday about 300 advocates of alcohol law reform protested in Manukau to put pressure on the Government to adopt all of the Law Commission's recommendations.
At the rally, Labour party leader Phil Goff said the report provided a once in a lifetime opportunity to take a course of action that would reduce the level of alcohol abuse in the country.
"I say to the Government, why not bring in a bill to Parliament that includes all of the recommendations of the Law Commission report and put that to the public of New Zealand to make their voices heard on it and then make a decision that is evidence-based on what we need to do about alcohol abuse."
Major Campbell Roberts of the Salvation Army, which helped to organise the rally, said the Government needed to stand up against an alcohol industry that had an inappropriate influence on decision-makers.
"We're worried that the decisive and determined support that we expected from politicians for these excellent Law Commission recommendations has not been decisive and determined, it's been dithering and duck shoving," he said.