Graham Kennedy: Sale of Liquor (Youth Alcohol Harm Reduction) Amendment Bill — Second Reading 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Graham Kennedy: Sale of Liquor (Youth Alcohol Harm Reduction) Amendment Bill — Second Reading 
[Sitting date: 17 June 2009. Volume:655;Page:4405. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
Dr KENNEDY GRAHAM (Green) 
: 
 Let me state at the outset that the Green Party will support the Sale of Liquor (Youth Alcohol Harm Reduction) Amendment Bill. We agree that there should be much stricter regulation of alcohol advertising in New Zealand. However I say with respect that we do not believe that this bill goes far enough. Indeed we have our own bill in the name of Metiria Turei the Liquor Advertising (Television and Radio) Bill which would remove broadcast advertising of alcohol from television and radio. 
The aggressive promotion of alcohol features strongly in New Zealand society. This cannot but exacerbate the problems of alcohol abuse. In 1992 alcohol brand advertising was introduced into broadcast media leading to a 42 percent increase in advertising expenditure and a fourfold increase in televised alcohol advertising in the first 3 years. By 1998 there was approximately $52 million of alcohol sponsorship and advertising on television and radio and in newspapers and magazines. The money spent on health promotion messages is a fraction of that amount. As a result the primary source of information for most people about alcohol and how to use it is alcohol advertising. 
Alcohol advertising in broadcast media is characterised by the association of alcohol brands with desired lifestyle images. The message coming from that advertising is that if one wants to have what it takes one has to be able to take one’s drink. The Green Party bill seeks to address the problems associated with this kind of advertising by regulating the marketing advertising and promotion of alcohol products through the broadcast media. However our bill has not been debated yet and we look forward to the day when it is debated. 
Alcohol is a drug like any other drug. When used in moderation by adults its harms to the individual and the community are generally considered low and acceptable. However as with all drugs there are many who abuse and misuse this particular drug which causes considerable harm to both the individual user and to the public at large. In order to manage those harms while retaining the principle that adults will and do engage in non-problematic drug use a strong regulatory framework is inevitably required. In the case of tobacco the community harms are severe. This drug alcohol similarly causes severe harm. Therefore it too should be subject to a very similar regulatory framework that applies to tobacco. To this end it is Green Party policy that the public health measures should include the following: firstly a ban on broadcast of alcohol advertising; secondly a requirement for compulsory health warnings on all alcohol and tobacco products; and thirdly support for the use of pricing mechanisms including taxes duties and levies to discourage the use of tobacco and alcohol. 
This bill as I say with respect does not go far enough to address these concerns. Yet none the less we will support it as far as it goes. We encourage the House to support any and all measures that will reduce the harm that this powerful drug causes in our own national community. Thank you.