Nash Stuart: Alcohol Advisory Council Amendment Bill — Second Reading 
Nash Stuart: Alcohol Advisory Council Amendment Bill — Second Reading 
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STUART NASH (Labour) 
: 
 Like everyone in this House I rise to speak in support of the Alcohol Advisory Council Amendment Bill and like my colleagues before me I welcome the change that this bill will facilitate. Any bill that provides a level of consistency across any form of industry and/or product can be only a positive step in the right direction. 
Even though this bill is technical in nature we must as parliamentarians always work to ensure that all legislation is fair up to date and simple to calculate. Not only this but also we must work to ensure that as far as possible we work to future-proof legislation to take into account possibilities imagined that have not been realised. 
I think we all know that the Alcohol Advisory Council (ALAC) does a magnificent job and is a very important body in the delivery of social outcomes to our diverse communities. ALAC was set up by Norman Kirk’s third Labour Government and is just one of the many examples of how Labour has put in place checks and balances through having workable credible councils to help mitigate the risks of social harms through education advice and counselling. 
When we think about the harm carried out through the excessive consumption of alcohol by those who lose control when under the influence we understand how necessary it is for an organisation such as ALAC to exist. One of the most famous and public falls from grace under the influence of the demon drink was that of the Rt Hon Sir Robert Muldoon when he called a snap election in 1984 while rather inebriated. That was not damaging to the country; in fact the outcome was hugely positive. But one cannot help but wonder what might have happened if Sir Robert had taken the advice and had seen the educational material put out by ALAC. 
We probably should be thankful that Sir Robert did not mothball ALAC as he did Big Norm Kirk’s superannuation scheme which if kept in place would today be worth billions and billions of dollars and we would not have had to debate legislation around capital markets as we did earlier this evening. 
Now let us fast forward to the 21st century and leave behind notable alcoholic politicians. Well in fact we cannot go past this serious topic without injecting a note of humour into the debate. The most famous quote from an inebriated politician comes from one Winston Churchill in a conversation with a Mrs Braddock who said: “You are drunk Sir Winston. You are disgustingly drunk.” “Yes Mrs Braddock I am drunk but you Mrs Braddock are ugly. Tomorrow morning I Winston Churchill will be sober.” Perhaps Sir Winston’s New Zealand political namesake who left this Parliament at the previous election took too much notice of that great man’s habits. 
On a more serious note as I was saying let us move into the 21st century. ALAC does a fantastic job with a very limited budget of only about $13 million. As members of Parliament we have all heard stories from victims who have felt and experienced the effects of the misuse of alcohol and from councillors and organisations that are there to deal with the effects of the misuse of alcohol. ALAC’s role is extremely important and will become more so as this economic crisis starts to deepen even further into the bowels of society and for those for whom life has lost its purpose and are tempted to turn to alcohol for solace and company. 
Families suffer communities are polarised and public health services are stretched. It is in times like these—which we will unfortunately experience over the next couple of years—when organisations like ALAC come to the fore. ALAC does a fantastic job in the areas of strategy formulation and implementation around the use of sensible drinking and work to minimise alcohol misuse and abuse. ALAC also undertook valuable research— 
Paul Quinn 
: According to the previous speaker they’re not. 
STUART NASH 
: I ask that member when Louisa Wall is to represent New Zealand rugby in this House. I think she might have played for the All Blacks did she not? Anyway I am sorry about that; I digress. ALAC also undertakes valuable research disseminates information and runs educational programmes and innovative treatments for programmes designed to target those who are at risk. 
Paul Quinn 
: Do you know what rugby is? Have you played the game? 
STUART NASH 
: Louisa Wall was a great rugby player—probably the best rugby player this House has seen since Grahame Thorne. There is still a long way to go however. We as public representatives must not only ensure that ALAC survives but also that it is provided with the resources necessary to make a difference at a time when some people in this House while playing rugby took too many knocks to the head and drank too much alcohol at the after-match function. 
Hon Member 
: Paul was all right. 
STUART NASH 
: Yes he was. But I must admit that it is on that note that I will register my support for the Alcohol Advisory Council Amendment Bill. Thank you very much.