Policy and Advocacy: Alcohol

It once marketed itself as the party university, but now the University of Otago’s academic reputation is under threat internationally because of the binge-drinking and bacchanalian revelry of its students. The university is trying to reverse its drinking culture, but how much can it achieve when, across society, drinking to excess has become the norm for the young?

In recent months, alcohol and young people have featured prominently in the news. There have been a number of liquorrelated deaths and injuries, controversies over afterball parties and much debate about drinking and purchasing ages.

Rhett, a Manager at the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners, is a former secondary school teacher who lives in Raumati Beach. His 17-year-old daughter is in year 13 at Kapiti College.

The Australian Drug Foundation says it is important parents understand the critical role they play in introducing children to alcohol. Parents are currently one of the main sources of alcohol for young people, so it is vital that they teach their children about it and how to act responsibly. When it comes to teaching children about alcohol, remember the three Rs:

Brooke, a 16-year-old and student at MacLeans College in Buckland’s Beach, provides a young person’s perspective – something she says is almost always missing from the debate.

The Law Commission’s report Alcohol in Our Lives: Curbing the Harm makes 153 recommendations spanning a broad range of areas. However, none has featured in the news more prominently than the recommendation to raise the drinking age. Sarah Helm explains why discussion and debate about youth drinking is a good thing.

Changes to social supply laws are among the most important of the Law Commission's recommendations. They may help reduce excessive youth drinking and would protect parental rights over who gives alcohol to their children. But in the current political environment, what chance do they have of making it into law?

Officer in charge of the Canterbury Police Alcohol Strategy and Enforcement Team.

Every week, between Thursday night and Sunday morning, Al Lawn sees a theft take place. He says it’s the alcohol industry’s product stealing Police officers and hospital beds away from New Zealanders who may have had their car stolen or have a worrisome niggle in their chest.

Community Projects Manager at Otara Health.

Adele Hamilton says Otara suffers under a proliferation of cheap alcohol outlets, even though people of all ages in the community have repeatedly called for the South Auckland suburb to go dry.