Review of the Regulatory Framework for the Sale and Supply of Liquor
The recent history of alcohol law reform has seen the lowering of the alcohol purchase age from 20 years to 18 years, the increasing proliferation of supermarkets and dairies selling wine and beer, Sunday trading and longer opening hours for licensed premises.
A comprehensive review of the sale and supply of liquor was announced in August 2008. The review is being conducted by the Law Commission. President of the Law Commission, Rt Hon Sir Geoffrey Palmer is overseeing the process. Sir Geoffrey says, “the Law Commission will conduct this review with vigour and energy.”
The Law Commission has been putting together a team to concentrate on the review, with representatives from the Ministry of Justice, the NZ Police, and the Alcohol Advisory Council (ALAC). Helen Fielding, Principal Policy Advisor, has been seconded from ALAC to the Law Commission to work on the review, and Andrew Hearn, Manager Strategy and Research, is a member of the review steering group.
The terms of reference for the review are very broad. The review is examining and evaluating the current laws and policies relating to the sale, supply and consumption of liquor in New Zealand. It will consider and formulate a revised policy framework covering the principles that should regulate the sale, supply and consumption of liquor in New Zealand, taking into account present and future social conditions and needs.
The review process has begun, with review team members meeting with Government Agency Chief Executives, researchers and lobbyists. Review team members have also spent time with police officers observing what life is like out on the streets and how alcohol impacts on their workloads. Alcohol is not the sole responsibility of any one government agency, and there are many agencies, organisations and individuals with a view about how alcohol harm could be better prevented in New Zealand. For this reason, there will be widespread consultation throughout the review process. It is expected there will be vigorous debate, because alcohol is something almost everyone has a stake in.
The challenge for the review team is to ensure that alcohol-related harm is well understood and that policy recommendations are soundly based in robust evidence. The review team will investigate consumption levels and trends, health and other social effects of alcohol consumption, and examine what is known about the drinking habits of New Zealanders.
Article from alcohol.org.nz December 2008 Issue. Click HERE to see the whole December 2008 Issue.
January 12 2009 11:07 am | Policy and Legislation
Yasmeen on 27 Oct 2009 at 4:10 pm #
Since this law has been amended, lots of problems have occurred. Problems such as an increase in drunk driving, the 18 year olds are supplying the younger teens. Also in NZ we have a culture of binge drinking so this harms the health of the teens as well the younger teens.There has also been a increase in young pregnancy, violence and accidents.
So the law of buying alcohol should be raised to 20! I am a teenager and I know what goes on between the young teens and who supplies them and I want to say this is not going to stop by suspending people,the law has to change.
Thanks