Collins Judith: Alcohol Reform Bill — Procedure In Committee 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Collins Judith: Alcohol Reform Bill — Procedure In Committee 
[Sitting date: 23 October 2012. Volume:685;Page:6051. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
Hon JUDITH COLLINS (Minister of Justice) 
: 
 The Sale of Liquor Act 1989 attempted to introduce a European cafe-style drinking culture in New Zealand. I would have to say that all the evidence shows that for some this has not worked although I would also acknowledge that although alcohol misuse contributes to crime—particularly domestic violence disorder and public health problems and roughly a third of all recorded crime involves offenders who have been drinking—most New Zealanders who drink alcohol do not abuse alcohol. So this bill attempts to strike a balance between dealing with the abuse of alcohol and sending some very strong signals and at the same time not penalising those many New Zealanders in the vast majority who do not abuse alcohol. 
The object of the bill is to minimise the harm caused by excessive drinking. Although as I have said many New Zealanders do not abuse alcohol there are sometimes times in their lives particularly when they are young and they are learning to behave with alcohol when they might in fact indulge in excessive drinking. We obviously do not want to see that and we would obviously like to have it stopped. But actually it has always been with us. It was with us before we had alcohol laws it is with us now and it will always be with us but that does not mean to say that we cannot take some actions to help prevent that from occurring as much as it does. 
We should also acknowledge that alcohol has social and commercial benefits. New Zealand’s alcohol industry employs over 70000 people and contributes to our GDP. So the Government is proposing a balanced response to deal with the considerable harm that is caused by the abuse of alcohol without unfairly affecting responsible drinkers. 
The Government’s Supplementary Order Paper 132 inserts two definitions relating to age to give effect to the House’s resolution to retain 18 years as the purchase age. I was one of those people who voted against the age of 18 as the purchase age primarily because I think it is abused most often by people aged about 16 and people aged 18 who buy alcohol for their younger friends. That was defeated and I accept obviously the will of the House. 
The technical Government Supplementary Order Paper 137 deletes the definitions of beer grape wine fruit and vegetable wine and mead proposed by Supplementary Order Paper 132. The wording in Supplementary Order Paper 132 has given rise to doubts of the applicability of a New Zealand food standard. The proposed amendment is accordingly withdrawn to make it clear that alcoholic products sold in supermarkets and grocery shops must meet the relevant New Zealand food standard. 
 I will deal with just one issue that the member who has resumed her seat Lianne Dalziel has raised and that is the issue around the hospitality industry on which she has said that the bill does not go far enough. The hospitality industry has said it does not go far enough because they support minimum pricing. That is actually really around making sure that there are maximum profits for the alcohol industry frankly. I note that there is a very recent report that I have just been handed and I am happy to table it if anyone wants me to that says that minimum pricing—which has been loudly supported by that member—which has apparently been brought in in Scotland has actually now been put on hold. And in fact I think one of the things we need to deal with is that this bill actually cannot deal with the hypotheticals; it has to deal with the realities. It is not the only bill we will ever have on alcohol reform but it is a start. It is the first time I think in living memory that we have introduced a bill to get through Parliament that actually puts more restrictions on the sale of alcohol not fewer.