Post in Reforming liquor laws to combat crime

May 17 23:53 UTC

Brendon Burns wrote:
> Hi Kerry, many kids will experiment with other ways to get high; but alcohol
is our number one drug problem and we don't really treat it like a drug.
>
It must be a gateway drug

> The controls on sale of alcohol are less than those on tobacco,which
certainly does harm but it doesn't feed violence, vandalism or put A and E
under stress at weekends.
>
>
> I am not saying reform of the liquor laws is the answer to everything but
with so much focus on crime in our inner city, it  seems to me that we need to
be targeting the primary cause.
>
Currently a commissioner is considering whether to zone Marine Pde New
Brighton for extra storeys on the buildings. Hopefully the residential
floor area ratio to section size will remain at 0.8 or 1.2, so there
will be some space around for vegetation or a place to make or do things
outside without having to go away from the home. But if apartments go in
to the B2 area there is no such restriction there at the moment.

And Council are talking of  `affordable' houisng in inner Christchurch.
There is talk of them kick starting in the Turners and Growers block,
since high rise is a high risk for developers.

So what will available for apartment dwellers to do near home? Will
there be any sheds for the blokes to do things in? (Jim Hopkins' book.)
What is being put in place to help people adjust ot sharing say 'common
greens' in apartment blocks? It may be easier to police the building of
a boat or tinkeing about with old cars than to police a constant stream
of parties and alcohol.

I believe it is a mistake to intensify Christchurch. I believe soalr
power - photovoltaics will sovle our energy problems in a few years.
Note how the push for computing has increase it power over a thousand
times in 20 years or so.

I believe in large sections in the rural areas with biodiversity
stewardship need to be got going.

There can be a risk of alochol use when people are isolated, so I
suggest putting the sections on existing bus routes as Chch - Rangiora -
Kaiapoi  -Woodend &c. Ribbon development with say sections sizes 0.2
hectare a few deep along those routes.

There are more modern means of sewage treatment than putting in huge
pipes for miles.

> Hope you and readers can make the 7pm June 3 Forum at St Michaels Church,
Oxford Tce to allow more discussion.
>
>

I doubt people would want to hear me talk at the meeting.

The intensification angle for Greater Chch has become the thing to
think. When the three scenarios were consulted on people were not given
much to go on, leaving  thinking of technology staying limited as it is
today, and that rural areas are so marvellous when pasture today is a
virtual desert in biodiversity terms.

Brian Sandle