Local Alcohol Laws Fail Protecting At-Risk Communities Due To Big Alcohol Lobbying In New Zealand
Local Alcohol Policy laws are not working, especially for at-risk communities, new research in New Zealand suggests. The so called Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act and Local Alcohol Policy Act had done little to regulate alcohol sales and related harms
Alcohol control laws with the purpose of increasing community control over alcohol use are failing under the weight of the alcohol industry, the Alcohol Healthwatch report reveals.
Big Alcohol lobbying puts most vulnerable at greater risk
The report found at-risk communities are devastated that their attempts to control alcohol use are being pushed back by the alcohol industry.
As communities suffer from the burden of alcohol harm, they want to pursue more progressive alcohol regulations, limiting where and when alcohol could be sold. However, the report reveals, alcohol industry tactics seek to delay these evidence-based measures by upholding the status-quo. The problem is that the status quo only benefits Big Alcohol, while at-risk communities suffer.
Purpose of the LAP undermined by Big Alcohol
Local Alcohol Policies (LAP) were the central feature of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012. The LAP were intended to allow each council to develop its own policy with regard to alcohol availability by taking into account community concerns relating to the location and number of liquor stores, as well as their trading hours.
The report found that 19 of 67 local councils in New Zealand had yet to develop their own alcohol policies.
Of the 31 policies that had reached provisional stages, the alcohol industry had appealed all but one.
None of the 19 policies which were adopted had measures in place that could reduce the existing number of alcohol outlets in an area.
Big Alcohol: Exposing the most vulnerable to greatest harm
The report also found that Maori and Pacifica communities were more likely to live in areas where no local alcohol policy has been established.
In particular this is sad news for Maori, Pacific peoples and those of low income because these groups suffer the greatest harm from living in communities with high numbers of alcohol outlets,” Researcher Dr Nicki Jackson explained to Stuff Health.
Maori public health organization Hāpai Te Hauora is urging the alcohol industry to honor the laws and to respect the right of communities to regulate alcohol availability.
People want more say and more control over alcohol sales so they can limit the damage it can do in communities,” Hāpai Te HauoraChief executive Lance Norman said, according to reports.
We know Maori already suffer disproportionately from alcohol-related harm – the last thing we need is another disparity to deal with. For Maori who live in areas where there is a local alcohol policy in place we would hope their voices are heard rather than silenced by those with commercial interests.”
