Post in Reforming liquor laws to combat crime

May 17 00:25 UTC

Hi Brendon, we met you at the St Albans Resource Centre when Christoph
got his award:)

It's good to see your views on things so thank you for taking the time
to put your ideas forward.

I just wanted to respond to your point about 24 hour liquor access, I
dont think ending this will help young teens stay sober.
I was a non-sober teen. I think when people want to get Out Of It, they
do - there are heaps of things to take/make. If that girl from Halswell
was not drinking, she probably would have been taking something else -
down to huffing glue, or you can even get high off the dairy whip
cannisters. I know people who have (tried) to make drugs out of mouldy
bread and shoe polish. When I was at school many kids sniffed petrol and
could hardly talk a few years later.

I dont know the solutions exactly, but its about how these kids feel
about themselves and stuff. This is a fairly destroyed planet / future
we are handing them and goodness knows what 15year olds are going
through these days.

Thank you - Kerry McKenna.

Brendon Burns wrote:
> Kia ora Forumites, as Labour candidate for Christchurch Central I am, among
other things, promoting a review of our liquor laws as the way to reduce
violence and vandalism in our city.
>
> Here's why...
>
> Sarah, a 15 year old girl from Halswell lay sprawled on the pavement in
Colombo St last Saturday night. Traces of her vomit marked the pavement.
>
> The police officer I was with managed to get her name and details before she
lapsed into oblivion. He rang her parents. Neither was able to drive and
collect their daughter. I hailed a taxi and police put her into it. Sarah’s six
mates were asked who was going to accompany her home. None would agree to go.
>
> I am hoping this post will spark some debate on my view that we need to have
a comprehensive review of our liquor laws.
>
> I acknowledge what the police are doing to reduce inner city violence and
vandalism, not to mention the harm and injuries that mount up every weekend.
>
> But until we address the root cause, the improvements most of us want to see
will be very difficult to achieve.
>
> We currently have 24 hour liquor availability, no constraint on pricing,
little restraint on liquor advertising and a push going on to sell even more
alcohol, more often to more people.
>
> I want to bring about changes to the Sale of Liquor Act 1989 to deal with
these issues. Twenty years on, there has been huge change in the availability
and promotion of alcohol. We now have three times more liquor outlets than
1990 – and the push for even more. The Act’s is manifestly failing its main
objective - to reduce the harm associated with the sale and supply of liquor.
>
> On our tour of the inner city on Saturday night I accompanied Associate
Justice Minister, Lianne Dalziel, who is responsible for the Sale of Liquor
Act. She has agreed to speak at a public forum I am organising on Tuesday June
3 at 7pm. Canterbury police will also speak, as will health and other agencies
who have to deal with the mess that excess alcohol can create.
>
> I am promoting consideration given to changes including:
>
> +   Listening to community concerns when granting and renewing licences
>
> At present, community concerns don’t carry any weight. Essentially, if you
aren’t a criminal and you provide enough car parks, you can get a licence to
sell liquor.
>
> +   An end to the 24 hour availability of takeaway alcohol
>
> Currently people can be turned away from bars on the Strip or Litchfield
Street for being intoxicated at 3am; they can then access alcohol at nearby
convenience stores.
>
> +  A ban on supermarkets being able to sell spirits and spirit-mix drinks
within the confines of their stores or nearby
>
> Countdown on Moorhouse Ave is leading the charge here, seeking to establish a
full liquor store alongside its supermarket. I made a submission to the Liquor
Licensing Authority against this application. This can only ultimately end with
vodka and cornflakes together in the same store.
>
> +   Controls on loss-leading sales and similar promotions
>
> Outlets including supermarkets sometimes sell alcohol at near cost or below
to encourage people into their stores. Alcohol is treated in exactly the same
way as bread and milk, when it is in fact our number one drug problem.
>
> + Ensure those who operate party buses taking people to licensed premises
obey the law and don’t deliver grossly intoxicated people.
>
> There are 30 or more buses operating in Christchurch alone. They regularly
deliver people into the inner city late at night who are too intoxicated to
gain entry into licensed premises. Inevitably fights and other problems break
out.
>
> +  Stricter controls on liquor advertising
>
> While there are issues with alcohol, violence and vandalism in inner-city, it
is important these must be kept in perspective.
>
> The police are doing a generally good job and their pro-active approach has
actually seen a seen a drop in violence offences the inner-city. Nonetheless,
there continue to be issues with violence and crime that are affecting our
city’s reputation and livelihood. Alcohol is the key driver. Most of us enjoy a
drink but as a community we are paying too high a price for having too little
control on alcohol sales.
>
> My website - www.brendonburns.co.nz
> carries more of my views
>
> Brendon
>
>
> Brendon  Burns
> Richmond, Christchurch
> Info about Brendon Burns:
http://forums.e-democracy.org/p/5327sUyPUvOiDy1nF4Htfv
>
> This topic's messages may be viewed at:
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