Peters Winston: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Peters Winston: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:619;Page:14670] 
7.  
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Leader—NZ First) 
 to the  
Associate Minister of Health 
: Is he satisfied that the Government has employed appropriate measures to protect New Zealand children from the misuse of alcohol and illicit drugs? 
Hon JIM ANDERTON (Associate Minister of Health) 
: 
 Of course central government has a vital role to play in equipping families communities and agencies of the State to combat the problem of drug and alcohol abuse. I cannot say that we can ever be satisfied—“we” being the collective Parliament or any individual Government—that we have done enough but the National Drug Policy aims to improve the health and well-being of New Zealanders by encouraging the development of strategies and programmes that prevent and reduce drug-related harm. It is a very wide-ranging and comprehensive programme as its website shows that includes $66 million committed over the last 2 years alone plus a drink culture change programme announced in June this year funded by a levy on alcohol sales. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Has the Minister talked to any of his Cabinet colleagues or coalition colleagues about the misuse of a very serious issue under the guise of his latest glossy publication to be sent around this country—under his name and using taxpayers’ dollars—to seek political advantage for a very small party to do with an issue that should cross party lines and is far more important surely than petty party politics? 
Hon JIM ANDERTON 
: I am very proud of the work that the Government is doing on drug and alcohol abuse prevention. That brochure was funded by my ministerial budget and authorised by the Auditor-General. 
Dr Paul Hutchison 
: Why has the Government failed to do anything effective about the significant damage caused to thousands of newborn New Zealanders by alcohol consumption during pregnancy despite the fact that during the last 2 years there have been two petitions on the subject and his officials have recognised that: “It’s a real problem and it’s under-reported.”? 
Hon JIM ANDERTON 
: I am advised by the Ministry of Health that it has been preparing an application to the Australia New Zealand Food Authority for this provision to be agreed to on a trans-Tasman basis. I will be very interested in the outcome of that application. I believe that obviously if New Zealand children are under any threat then New Zealand as a sovereign nation will have the ability to deal with that matter if it has to on its own. 
Larry Baldock 
: Can the Minister confirm that the Auckland Regional Community Action Project on Alcohol study which showed that over half the retailers visited sold alcohol to under-18-year-olds without asking for identification focused entirely on off-licence premises; and in the light of other studies that suggest it is the volume of alcohol consumed by young people that has increased rather than the frequency of drinking does he agree that off-licence premises are more likely to generate binge drinking because they sell alcohol at cheaper prices and without the supervision that licensed premises offer? 
Hon JIM ANDERTON 
: The sale or provision of alcohol to those who are under the legal age is a serious matter no matter where or how it is done. There is plenty of evidence that a number of outlets are doing that—at the grocery level less at the supermarket level and more at the off-licence level. Unfortunately one has to say that there is also evidence that something like 50 percent of the alcohol given to young people is given to them by their parents. 
Nandor Tanczos 
: Has the Minister seen the 2003 study by Saffer and Dave of the US National Bureau of Economic Research which indicated that a complete ban on all alcohol advertising could reduce adolescent monthly alcohol participation by about 24 percent and binge participation by about 42 percent; and my knowing of his support for this issue will he make a commitment today to do all he can to persuade the ministerial committee on drug policy to support at its next meeting a ban on alcohol advertising? 
Hon JIM ANDERTON 
: I have seen a lot of statistics about the effects of advertising and promotion of alcohol and I have a conservative view in terms of the way it is promoted. I have to say however that the most significant piece of evidence I have had from a lot of jurisdictions is that the single most effective step that this Parliament could take would be to raise the age of entitlement to purchase alcohol to 20 years. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Did the Minister take any advice or receive any reports that said that by putting his name to the brochure that has come out he would add to the cause of defeating this scourge or would mitigate against people joining the cause in the way that other people suspect; depending on his answer why would he do that when the issue is so serious? 
Hon JIM ANDERTON 
: I think the issue is serious. That is why I took the step in terms of financial propriety of getting advice from the Auditor-General. I also thought very carefully about the wording of that brochure. I tell the member that we have had a positive response from the something like 600 schools the brochure was mailed to with 25 percent wanting more of those leaflets and more information about the programmes the Government is running. I think that is a very positive effect. 
Larry Baldock 
: In light of the Minister’s answer to my previous question in which he acknowledged the risks to youth in their purchasing alcohol at off-licence premises would he therefore support the common-sense solution offered by Paul Adams in his member’s bill of increasing the age at which alcohol can be purchased at off-licences to 20 years while keeping the age at which alcohol can be purchased at on-licence premises at 18 years? 
Hon JIM ANDERTON 
: I am all for simplicity and low compliance costs in legislation and if we give a mixed message like that it makes the situation even more complex than it is now. 
Dr Paul Hutchison 
: I seek leave to table a report that demonstrates the gross under-reporting of foetal alcohol syndrome under this Government. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There appears to be none. 
Document not tabled. 
Nandor Tanczos 
: I seek leave to table a study called  
Alcohol Advertising and Alcohol Consumption by Adolescents 
 by Saffer and Dave published in 2003. 
Document by leave laid on the table of the House.