Calder Cam: Alcohol Reform Bill — In Committee 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Calder Cam: Alcohol Reform Bill — In Committee 
[Sitting date: 06 December 2012. Volume:686;Page:7281. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
Dr CAM CALDER (National) 
: 
 It is a pleasure to rise to speak on the Alcohol Reform Bill— 
Kevin Hague 
: I raise a point of order Mr Chairperson. I apologise to my colleague for interrupting his speaking time. I want to raise with you your ruling about allocation of calls in this debate. I think you are aware that this is an issue of some concern because of the way that different parties allocate speaking responsibilities and in particular for our party the intention had been for me as the spokesperson to take several calls to make our contributions. I draw your attention to Standing Order 103: “Factors to be taken into account by Speaker”— 
The CHAIRPERSON (Lindsay Tisch) 
: I hear what the member says. We have had this discussion on previous bills. I made it clear at the beginning that because this debate—it is one question over Parts 6 to 10 and then clauses 1 and 2 and is a wide-ranging debate on those sections—is going to be time limited to a quarter past 5 in fairness to give everyone who wants to speak an opportunity I was taking one call only. If when we have exhausted calls there are other members who want to take a call it could well be that a person like you who is the only spokesman for your party may then wish to take another call and that would be acceptable. But my ruling at the moment is that it is going to be one call per person so that everybody has the opportunity and can have their say and if time permits we can then allow a second call. As the Chair that is my ruling and that is how I intend to proceed. 
Kevin Hague 
: I raise a point of order Mr Chairperson. The reason that I drew your attention to Standing Order 103 is that 103(b) states that where the Speaker—and I take of course that in this debate you are the Chair of the Committee of the whole House— 
The CHAIRPERSON (Lindsay Tisch) 
: I have Standing Order 103 in front of me. There is no formula as to the allocation of speaking spots. The rule here Standing Order 103 is a guide. There is no formula and I have ruled as the Chairman of the Committee that we are going to proceed along these lines and possibly there will be an opportunity for the member as the sole spokesman for his party to be able to get another call or maybe more than that. But in the first instance I am accepting only one call per person. 
Dr CAM CALDER 
: I would like to make the point in the face of the posturing of the previous speaker Sue Moroney that this Government is making the first significant push-back in decades on the creeping liberalisation of laws surrounding alcohol. 
Many of us in society enjoy the occasional tincture a tipple or a wee dram but the dark side of this debate is that alcohol misuse contributes directly to around 1000 deaths a year and is estimated to cost society about $5 billion annually. We know it is a major driver of crime. As I have observed in this Chamber before alcohol is implicated in 30 percent of all police offences 34 percent of family violence and 50 percent of homicides. This Alcohol Reform Bill is the first step in reducing alcohol-related harm. 
I would like to point out some key features of this package. Of particular relevance to the people of the vibrant and diverse community of Manurewa where I have my office is that this bill will empower them to create their own local alcohol plan—their own local alcohol plan. Councils will be able to develop local alcohol policies to determine trading hours of licensed premises to limit location to control the density of licences and to impose conditions on licensed premises. When forming local alcohol plans councils can take into account the proximity of schools early childhood centres and other community assets such as parks. 
The bill also broadens the matters that must be considered in granting a licence. Consideration must be given to such things as the object of the law the provisions of the aforementioned local alcohol plan and whether the facility or good order of the area would be reduced if a licence is granted. The bill widens the definition of “public place” in liquor bans to include car-parks school-grounds and other private spaces to which the public has access. It also makes it an offence to promote alcohol in a way that has special appeal to people under the purchase age. These changes will apply to any promotion including TV advertising and billboards. Another key feature—which as a parent I heartily endorse—is that the bill makes it an offence for anyone other than a parent or a guardian to provide alcohol even in a private home to a person under the age of 18 years of age without the consent of the parent or the guardian. An important sequela to that is that where alcohol is provided including to a person under the age of 18 years of age by a parent a guardian or an authorised person then that authorised person parent or guardian will need to ensure the alcohol is supplied in a reasonable manner. 
I want to touch just briefly on the ready-to-drink issue which is an important one. We have a regulation-making power in this bill to enable us to restrict ready-to-drinks at any time in the future. This sends a very strong signal to the industry that it must take action to reduce the known harm of these so-called alcopops. The industry has already offered to put in place a voluntary code on ready-to-drinks and is currently working on a proposal. We believe this approach is flexible and workable and will reduce the risk of new products being developed to circumvent restrictions. If the industry measures are ineffective or not strong enough we can and we will take action. We can impose restrictions without needing further legislation. This is a strong signal to the industry. We are serious about reducing harm from ready-to-drinks. I commend this bill to the Committee.