Archive for April, 2008
Graphic images of all-too-common consequences of binge drinking feature in a hard-hitting advertising campaign launched by ALAC this month. The commercials are part of an ongoing campaign to address New Zealanders’ propensity to binge drinkThe new campaign was launched by Associate Minister of Health Hon Damien O’Connor on 2 April.
The commercials show people making poor and dangerous choices after excessive drinking and illustrate realistic transformations – when good times turn bad. They continue the message It’s not the drinking, it’s how we’re drinking.
ALAC CEO Gerard Vaughan says he makes no excuses for the hard-hitting nature of the campaign, as it takes an honest approach to what is a serious problem for many people.
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April 25 2008 | Binge Drinking and Commercials | 26 Comments »
Last year a bill went before the House seeking to return the minimum legal purchase age for alcohol to 20.
After extensive debate in the media, polls, lobbying and many arguments for and against, the die was cast when, on 8 November, 2007, politicians voted against the amendment.
It was the 56th time politicians had debated an issue relating to alcohol and voted as a matter of conscience.
Under our parliamentary system, most votes in Parliament are determined largely by the collective decisions of the parties.
However, on a range of moral or social legislation they are able to cast a personal vote, otherwise known as a “conscience” vote.
In recent times issues that have been the subject of conscience votes, other than the sale and consumption of alcohol, have included capital punishment, homosexual law reform, prostitution, gambling, adoption, abortion, pornography, and smoking in public places (see table).
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April 23 2008 | Conscience Vote | 2 Comments »
The one-way door policy designed to reduce violence in inner-city Christchurch was not without its faults, but it worked well enough to be extended.
The Christchurch Central Business District Alcohol Accord was implemented from October 2006 to March 2007 in a bid to reduce alcohol-related violence and crime in the Christchurch CBD.
The initiative arose out of collaboration between representatives of the Police District Licensing Unit, Christchurch City Council, Hospitality Association, and the Canterbury District Health Board division Community and Public Health.
The aims of the policy were to:
• reduce the incidence of violence where the perpetrator and/or victim are affected by alcohol
• improve local-level responses to alcohol-related violence
• increase the safety of environments where alcohol consumption occurs
• reduce crime and violence in the CBD by 10 per cent
The key component of the accord was planned to be a 3am one-way door operating in licensed premises on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, meaning patrons couldn’t enter bars after that time.
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April 23 2008 | violence and alcohol | No Comments »