Dear Colleague,
The first phase of the alcohol campaign is now over. We couldn't have hoped for
a better launch of Alcohol Action NZ. Forty-two meetings involving nearly 5000 people
in 30 different towns and cities all came off so smoothly; much better than most
of us expected. It was a great enthusing collegial effort across the board.
Then last week the historic national Doctors and Nurses statement was released,
a copy is attached, which demonstrated to the Government and the public a remarkably
united stand by the medical and nursing professions about the need for major changes
to alcohol policy.
There is now a network of enthusiastic local Alcohol Action groups throughout New
Zealand getting geared up for this next six months, the MAIN EVENT.
There are also now over 3000 on this email list, many of whom want to become more
personally active now.
Doing it alone is good, but if you want to join others in local action there are
two options:
- Make contact with your local Alcohol Action group (contact us for details)
- Develop a new Alcohol Action group yourself, either because there is no group where
you live or, because you and friends or colleagues want to work together.
The primary thing that binds us together is recognition that New Zealand has a major
problem with alcohol and the scientific evidence about how it can be ameliorated,
currently broadly expressed in the 5+ Solution.
- If you know others who want to come onto this email list please get them to register
through the website www.alcoholaction.co.nz
- If you want to remain on the email list because you're interested in seeing what
happens, excellent!
- If you want to come off the email list at this point please send back an email,
all good!
The MAIN EVENT has arrived!
Our recent months of writing submissions, building support and public debate have
helped ensure that the Law Commission will produce a strong report recommending
the types of changes to the alcohol laws that we have been promoting. The public
reaction to the campaign has confirmed our belief that there is widespread public
alarm about New Zealands heavy drinking culture and that the conditions are right
for change. However, there are forces that remain highly committed to maintaining
the status quo.
So where does that leave the national debate? One side is epitomised by the Doctors
and Nurses statement where numerous experts, whose only 'vested interest' is trying
to stop suffering and unhappiness, are united in what needs to be done. The other
side is the alcohol industry, which has an overriding vested interest in maintaining
profits that, in New Zealand, come largely from dangerous heavy drinking.
Thus, the next phase of the campaign is a struggle between these two positions.
The natural instinct of the National Government will be to shy away from putting
controls on big companies. But it is also a political party that cares about reducing
crime and violence (where controlling alcohol is the number one way to do it) and
cares about protecting families and ensuring social stability, both of which are
casualties of heavy drinking.
Therefore we must enter this new phase two of the campaign: persuading National
and its coalition partners to do the right thing for New Zealanders. Please use
your networks to lobby the National MPs in your area and take time to have your
say in Letters to the Editor. If you want to help but are not sure what to do, contact
us for suggestions.
The next six months up until the release of the Law Commissions final report in
March/April and the subsequent Government Bill on alcohol is the crucial time for
persuading National to act. Please use this historic opportunity.
If you don't have time but really want to contribute to the campaign, make a donation.
We are fund raising for a full-time Alcohol Action NZ manager, particularly important
now that my university sabbatical leave has come to an end.
It is easy to make a donation:
Either, send a cheque made out to Alcohol Action NZ to PO Box 443, Christchurch
8140 or make a donation through internet banking to Alcohol Action NZ, 38-9009-0359942-00
We're on a roll.
Cheers
Doug