Hutchison Paul: Sale of Liquor (Objections to Applications) Amendment Bill — Second Reading 
Hutchison Paul: Sale of Liquor (Objections to Applications) Amendment Bill — Second Reading 
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Dr PAUL HUTCHISON (National—Hunua) 
: 
 I rise to speak on the Sale of Liquor (Objections to Applications) Amendment Bill which is in the name of the Hon George Hawkins. 
I understand that this bill was first introduced in 2008. There were 53 submissions and 34 submitters who wished to be heard. Ten of them were heard in the previous Parliament before the change to the most excellent National Government under John Key. Since that time the Social Services Committee has kept in close touch with the Hon George Hawkins. Its members were well aware that Sir Geoffrey Palmer’s Law Commission report was due to be presented so they put the bill on hold pending that very comprehensive report. 
I must agree with previous speakers that the pendulum has swung too far in New Zealand. Alcohol is now a $5 billion industry—a $5 billion industry. One of my concerns about alcohol is the effect it has on our children and in fact on our unborn children—the effect of alcohol on children in utero and the number of children born with foetal alcohol spectrum disorder. The Law Commission report estimated that some thousands of children a year were affected by the disorder. This is an extremely worrying concern because those children will never have a chance to achieve their full potential. Often mothers and fathers have no idea of the implications of their drinking which impacts on literally thousands of New Zealand children. So there is no doubt that the importance of this subject is enormous. 
I congratulate the Hon George Hawkins on bringing in this member’s bill which is generally focused on local communities having a say. There is no doubt that members of the South Auckland community have been particularly strong in their concerns about liquor outlets in their area. The Hon George Hawkins has listened to them. Their concerns were manifested in a march and rally at the Manukau City centre about 6 weeks ago. Representatives from all parties were there on that particular occasion but I must admit that I do not think the Hon George Hawkins was there. [ 
Interruption 
] He was there! I thought he was campaigning for the local board of Manurewa but— 
Hon Tony Ryall 
: Manurewa Action! 
Dr PAUL HUTCHISON 
: Manurewa Action Team yes but conscientiously he was marching—he was there—and so was my excellent colleague Dr Cam Calder who is doing a tremendous job down there in Manurewa. He is obviously the natural successor of George Hawkins but of course that will be after George Hawkins has become a board member for that area. 
But the point is that on that march the local community was very strong about the adverse effects of alcohol in South Auckland the huge number of outlets in that area the violence associated with it and the sorts of examples we have heard from other speakers of alcohol outlets being close to schools. The message from that rally was absolutely crystal clear: they wanted to have a say as to how alcohol was sold and distributed in South Auckland. That message reflects the attitudes of the whole country. 
The good news is that the National Government is responding in a very comprehensive way to Sir Geoffrey Palmer’s Law Commission report. It is responding in 126 ways to the 153 recommendations. The basis of that response with regard to local communities is that licences will be harder to get and easier to lose—harder to get and easier to lose. That is a very very important message and one that George Hawkins certainly supports very strongly. Local communities will have the power to decide how many alcohol outlets are in their communities where they are and at what times they are open. That very much encapsulates what the Hon George Hawkins’ bill is all about. 
It was very interesting to hear the rhetoric from Labour members. The Social Services Committee recommended to Parliament that at this stage of events the bill should not be passed and instead the comprehensive package that is to be put into place by the National Government should come forward. The National Government undoubtedly has already made a great series of interventions in terms of policing and enforcement. There are 300 more police in areas like South Auckland and 600 throughout the country. But more important there will be tougher alcohol laws in this comprehensive package and in particular and in response to this bill local communities will have much great say on how alcohol will be dealt with in their communities. 
It is right and proper that Parliament follows the guidance of the Social Services Committee recommendations that at this stage the bill is not passed and that the comprehensive recommendations of the National Government are accepted.