Woodhouse Michael: Alcohol Advisory Council Amendment Bill — Second Reading 
Woodhouse Michael: Alcohol Advisory Council Amendment Bill — Second Reading 
[Volume:652;Page:1581] 
MICHAEL WOODHOUSE (National) 
: 
 I rise in support of the Alcohol Advisory Council Amendment Bill. It is yet another example of a good idea spinning round and round in the Labour Party’s spin-dryer. I am sure those members appreciate but do not act on the fact that bills become law only once they are passed. This bill amends an Act that after 33 years of existence is a bit tired and out of date in terms of current needs and indeed drinking habits—something some members of the House may well empathise with. 
Examples of the dated nature of the present legislation can be found in the fact that the Act deals with only beer wine and spirits and clearly there is no accommodation for more modern drinking products including ready-to-drink products or “RTDs” as they are known. There are some quite quaint descriptions in the 1976 Act including this pearl of wisdom about wine which states that grape wine “means wine manufactured . . . from grapes.” One presumes that is as distinct from other wines that are not produced from grapes. Indeed there is a definition of fruit wine which states: “Fruit wine means manufactured in New Zealand from any product other than grapes”. So it is time that the legislation is updated to reflect those current drinking products. 
As my colleague Dr Hutchison pointed out the purpose of this legislation is not to contribute to debates about reducing alcohol harm but it is appropriate I think to reflect on the need for an organisation like the Alcohol Advisory Council and that need is as great now as it ever was. There is a Kiwi culture I think of binge boozing which appears to be more prevalent and more prominent than it was in the past. We have had many examples of this. 
Recently—last Tuesday night—in my home town of Dunedin the freshers’ toga parade which is a traditional event and the contribution of significant quantities of alcohol created a climate of lawlessness in the city. Students frightened bystanders and trashed the main street of the city. People were going about their business in the middle of the throwing of some unseemly and pretty dangerous items frankly. Of course there is a degree of larrikinism in all student behaviour and many of us I am sure have been involved in the odd student prank or two but this was well beyond anything that could have been described as harmless fun. 
There is no doubt that alcohol played a material part in the behaviour that was evident that night and that demonstrates yet again that we as a nation by and large do not have a responsible approach to the consumption of alcohol. There is an immaturity about that approach. It behoves us to continue to support the excellent work that the Alcohol Advisory Council does to make the levy-setting process current with New Zealanders’ drinking habits and to line that process up with the excise duty collection process. 
I support this bill for that purpose. It future-proofs changes in the drinking habits of New Zealanders going forward and it simplifies the calculation of the levy that funds the Alcohol Advisory Council. I support this bill.