Smith Nick: Customs and Excise (Alcoholic Beverages) Amendment Bill — First Reading Second Reading Instruction to CommitteeCWH In Committee Third Reading 
Smith Nick: Customs and Excise (Alcoholic Beverages) Amendment Bill — First Reading Second Reading Instruction to CommitteeCWH In Committee Third Reading 
[Volume:608;Page:5390] 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH (NZ National—Nelson) 
: 
 The title of the Customs and Excise (Alcoholic Beverages) Amendment Bill should be the “Another Broken Promise From Labour Bill”. Dr Cullen who sits opposite told the public of New Zealand on 9 July last year that the Government had no plans for and the public should have no fear of sharp increases in alcohol prices. This bill is a direct contradiction of what he assured the public. What is interesting about 9 July 2002 is that it was about 2 weeks prior to a general election so those members opposite were elected on false pretences. 
Darren Hughes 
: What happened at that election? 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: I say to that new member for Kapiti that his voters read in the  
Dominion Post 
 that there would be no sharp increases in alcohol prices. That is what voters in his electorate thought they were voting for when they voted for him and for Labour and what did they get? I ask that young member opposite whether this bill provides for a sharp increase in alcohol prices. Does it? I ask the member who was so chirpy a moment ago whether this bill provides for a sharp increase in alcohol prices. 
Helen Duncan 
: No! 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: Helen Duncan says that no it does not. I say to Madam Duncan that I would expect an 84 percent increase to be somewhat sharp. I do not have a PhD in mathematics—I admit that—and I know that Helen Duncan is hopeless on anything to do with standards in education but I would have thought that an 84 percent increase was somewhat sharp. Does the bright new member for Kapiti believe that an 84 percent increase is sharp? 
In fact Dr Cullen went further. He said that there were no plans intentions desires or need for any increases greater than inflation. Does the Government believe that the inflation rate is 84 percent? 
Helen Duncan 
: No! 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: Helen Duncan says it is not. Can she explain how this bill is true to Dr Cullen’s word that there would be no increases in alcohol excise other than the 6-monthly adjustments for inflation? 
Helen Duncan 
: The parents of New Zealand love this bill. 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: Suddenly those members want to change the topic. She says the parents of New Zealand love this bill. I did a bit of research this evening. I went to a local bar and asked the people there what sorts of drinks young people drink. Let me bring their answers to members because I listened to what Jim Anderton said earlier. The most popular drink at the sports bar in Courtenay Place is a Vodka Teaser. They said that that drink was the most popular drink of young people. 
Hon Richard Prebble 
: What’s the alcohol content? 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: My colleague asks what the alcohol content is. It is 5 percent. Will this bill put up the tax on it? I see Mr Anderton is in the Chamber. Will the tax on it go up? No it will not. I asked the people at the bar what the next most popular drink was and they said it was a Ruski; that is what they told me. I thought that that drink must be affected by the bill because that is what Mr Anderton had told us but the alcohol content is only 4.5 percent so it is not included. So I thought I would try some more. What about Archers Aqua? That is apparently the most popular youth drink at the second bar I went to. I thought that it must be covered. 
Hon Richard Prebble 
: How many bars did the member go to? 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: Many I assure the member! I wondered if it would be covered. Jim Anderton had said this bill was to prevent abuse of alcohol drinking by young people. I thought that that drink must be covered by the bill. It has an alcohol content of 5.5 percent so it is not covered. I asked for some more names of drinks and I was told that the Vodka Cruiser was popular with young people. Is it covered? No it is 5 percent alcohol so it is not covered. So I asked a lady at the bar what drinks would be in the alcohol range covered by this bill. Let me tell members what she told me. The only such product available at the sports bar is Baileys. How many young people I know between the ages of 18 and 25 drink Baileys? 
John Carter 
: I do. 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: I have some news for Mr Carter: he is outside the age range. When Mr Anderton was talking about preventing abuse of alcohol by young people I do not think he was talking about Mr Carter. We know he looks young and handsome but I do not think he is included. The people at the bar said that dessert wine would be their biggest seller that would be picked up by this bill. I say to the youthful member for Kapiti that I know lots about young people and dessert wine is not big on the list of drinks that they drink. This bill does nothing of the sort of which Mr Anderton speaks. He is telling one big porky.