Dear Colleague
Progress Note
- Law Commission’s final report
- The three biggest fears of the alcohol industry
- BAC probably staying at 0.08
- Our Turn to Shout
- The Anglican Church joins the alcohol campaign
- On from here
So much is happening on the alcohol front it’s almost impossible to keep up.
It feels as if we are making great progress with the sheer volume of media supporting
our key positions:
- There is a national alcohol crisis that is affecting all of us, not just a small
minority
- The excessive commercialisation of alcohol by the industry is a major driver of
the heavy drinking culture
- There is a solution to the problem based on the best international evidence - the
5+ Solution
- The alcohol industry will fight to the death, in the same way the tobacco industry
has and does, to maintain the status quo.
But we must remember that until the government passes new liquor laws in line with
the 5+ Solution, nothing has actually been achieved.
1. Law Commission’s final report
The most important thing that has happened in the past month has been the release
of the Law Commission’s final report "Alcohol in our lives: curbing the harm". This
really is a tremendous piece of work and a blueprint for change to guide our alcohol
action over this next 10 years. Along with a great many others, I have enormous
admiration for Sir Geoffrey Palmer and his team for producing such a monumental,
scientifically-based, and easy to read volume. What is particularly impressive is
there has been a changing of minds on the team on some key elements in response
to the evidence – particularly the importance of dismantling the marketing and advertising
of alcohol by regulation.
2. The three biggest fears of the alcohol industry
Dismantling the marketing and advertising of alcohol is one of the three biggest
fears of the alcohol industry in terms of their maintaining the status quo ie maintaining
the heavy drinking culture. We know what these biggest fears are because they’ve
outlined them in their own internal industry documents that have come to light in
the wake of successful tobacco litigation (Bond et al 2009). They are:
- Increasing excise taxes on alcohol [with minimum pricing as a foundation]
- Reducing the ability to advertise alcohol
- Reducing the BAC (blood alcohol concentration) levels permissible for driving.
These are the three things the industry will hold out on and they will do everything
to try and divert public and government attention away from them. One of their diversionary
tactics is trying to engage the country in a national debate on the purchase age.
Unfortunately they are being quite successful about it – see for example, the “Keep
It 18” campaign being driven behind the scenes by Kiwiblog’s David Farrar.
The purchase age is certainly an important aspect of the 5+ Solution but is not
as high a priority as the big three.
3. BAC probably staying at 0.08
It seems almost inevitable that a zero BAC for under 20s driving will be enacted
by the government. However, strong whispers are that they are not going to move
on the 0.08 BAC driving limit for those 20 and over - one of the big three. The
industry lobbyists have been working hard for months on their friendships (mateships)
with key ministers. Tragically, drunk driving seems likely to remain lawful under
this government, despite the plethora of research supporting a reduction down to
0.05. Remember 0.05 is a standard definition for intoxication. Australia, along
with most other countries of the developed world, has a driving BAC of 0.05. Closing
the gap with Australia?
If, and when, the announcement is made that the status quo will remain, we need
to let our disappointment and fury show. This is likely to be early June.
4. Our Turn to Shout
Our Turn to Shout is an initiative by Alcohol Healthwatch and the Drug Foundation
to help individuals and communities have a voice about alcohol reform. The initiative
features a blog,Facebook
and Twitter page and will make resources
available to empower community groups to be heard. Check it out and order free posters
at www.ourturn2shout.org.nz
Alcohol Action NZ is quite separate from OTTS, although we fully support this great
initiative
5. The Anglican Church joins the alcohol campaign
This is the second most important thing that has happened this month. At the most
recent biennial General Synod, led by Archbishop David Moxon, the Anglican Church
formally endorsed the 5+ Solution, with particular reference to alcohol advertising.
Two motions were unanimously supported by the conference including: "to ban advertising
of alcoholic beverages in the light of the depredations they are having on our communities".
The Church is now gearing up to be very active in the campaign ahead - makes one
proud of having an Anglican heritage.
6. On from here
The timing of the 1st Reading in Parliament of the new liquor bill is unknown, but
will probably be some time between late June and August/September. Following the
1st Reading will be a Select Committee process, which is the final and most important
opportunity this year to make a difference. A massive number of submissions to the
Select Committee will give Parliament the reassurance they need to bring about significant
changes. A massive number of submissions, together with the Law Commission’s final
report, will also provide ongoing justification for alcohol law reform in the months
and years to come.
We are preparing a list of key points that are important to put in submissions.
We are also preparing some model submissions with these points included as examples.
These will all appear on the website www.alcoholaction.co.nz
before not too long.
Submissions that are only one or two sentences are totally ka pai, and can be just
as powerful as several pages fully referenced.
Over the next few months is an excellent time for alcohol action. Every MP visited
or written to and every Letter to the Editor (even if not published) is having an
impact at a crucial time of decision making.
Getting a thousand people to say things a thousand times is how to change public
opinion.
Remember - this is what we’re up against - a population infected with the following
memes:
- Life can’t be enjoyed with alcohol
- Social events aren’t proper events without alcohol
- Being in the in-group means drinking with the in-group.
Counter these ingrained attitudes at every opportunity.
Counter also the false messages of the industry (and some of our dear MPs):
- Alcohol problems only affect a minority of New Zealanders
- Raising the price of alcohol will only punish the majority of responsible New Zealanders
- More research is needed before we should act
- It’s only extremists who want changes to the liquor laws like raising the price
Finally, there is a new batch of 5+ Solution postcards and two new Alcohol Action
pamphlets in the pipeline, which will be available through our Alcohol Action NZ
Coordinator, Fergus Wheeler coordinator@alcoholaction.co.nz
within the month.
Kia kaha
Doug
Doug Sellman
Professor of Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine
Director, National Addiction Centre
Department of Psychological Medicine
University of Otago
Christchurch