Legislation that will enact the Government's proposed liquor law changes has been introduced to Parliament and Justice Minister Simon Power says it is just the starting point for reform.The Alcohol Reform Bill could have its first reading as soon as next
Legislation that will enact the Government's proposed liquor law changes has been introduced to Parliament and Justice Minister Simon Power says it is just the starting point for reform.
The Alcohol Reform Bill could have its first reading as soon as next week, and will then go to a select committee for six months for public submissions.
The previously-announced proposals include splitting the alcohol purchasing age to 18 for bars and 20 for off-licences, limiting the alcohol content of RTDs, banning particularly harmful products, reducing opening hours and putting new rules around the supply of liquor to minors.
"This package is merely Parliament's starting point for reform and we'll be listening carefully to the public through the select committee process," Mr Power said today.
"This government sees overhauling our alcohol laws as a priority, particularly for addressing the drivers of crime because alcohol is a major lubricant for offending."
Mr Power said that to limit the availability of alcohol, licences would be harder to get and easier to lose, buying alcohol at corner dairies would end when current licences expired, and local communities would have more say on the concentration, location and opening hours of alcohol outlets in their area.
"Local communities, not people in Wellington, are best placed to decide how alcohol licences should be treated in their own area, which is why this bill empowers communities to adopt local alcohol policies," he said.
The Government is going to investigate a minimum price regime for drinks but doesn't have the evidence it needs to do that right away.
"We've given retailers a year to provide sales and price data and if they're not forthcoming then we'll consider regulating to obtain it," Mr Power said.
The bill will repeal and replace the Sale of Liquor Act 1989 and change parts of the Summary Offences Act 1981, the Children, Young Persons and Their Families Act 1989 and the Local Government Act 2002.
"Legislation alone won't turn around our binge drinking culture but it can help us develop a more moderate one through controls on availability and a focus on youth," Mr Power said.
Everything in the bill except the purchase age is government policy, and National MPs will have conscience votes only on the proposed change to the purchase age.
Other parties are expected to also give their MPs conscience votes on that when the bill reaches its committee stage, probably around the middle of next year.
