Economy is collapsing and ACT thinks making it easier to buy booze is the solution?

As the economy struggles with rising food prices, unemployment and hardship, the Government’s proposed alcohol law changes raise a serious question — is easier access to booze really the priority right now?

ACT proposes sweeping alcohol law changes

Wait? WHAT!

Government proposes sweeping changes to alcohol laws

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The Government has introduced a Bill aimed at reforming New Zealand’s alcohol laws, saying the changes will reduce regulatory burdens on businesses and make the licensing system easier to navigate.

Regulation Minister David Seymour and Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced the introduction of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Improving Alcohol Regulation) Amendment Bill on Monday.

A range of changes

The Bill’s proposals include:

• Limiting who can object to a licence application or renewal to those who live or work in the same council area, or within 1km of the proposed premises. Licence applicants would also be given a formal right of reply to objections.
• Preventing licence renewals from being declined solely because a local alcohol policy has changed.
• Allowing clubs to apply for on-licences if they wish to serve the wider public.
• Allowing certain restaurants with on-site retail areas to sell alcohol for customers to take home.
• Streamlining special licence requirements to make it easier to host events.
• Creating a permanent mechanism allowing licensed premises to open and serve alcohol outside licensed hours to televise major events such as the Rugby World Cup.
• Exempting hairdressers and barbers from needing an on-licence to supply their customers a limited amount of alcohol such as a beer, glass of wine, or gin and tonic.
• Extending cellar door tasting provisions beyond wineries so other producers such as breweries and distilleries can charge for tastings without needing an on-licence.
• Allowing licensed premises to meet their legal obligations by stocking either low-alcohol or zero-alcohol drinks.
• Clarifying responsibilities for rapid alcohol delivery services to ensure alcohol is not delivered to underage or intoxicated persons.

Stuff

Alcohol policy versus economic reality

I’m not sure what a nation of repressed alcoholics needs is more access to booze.

Rising hardship across New Zealand

Let me see if I can get this straight.

Food prices spiked 4.5% with meat jumping 7.5% while 170,000 kids are in material hardship, with a homelessness crisis exploding, with 600,000 needing food banks monthly and 5.4% unemployment rate, and ACT believe that will be solved by making booze easier to buy?

Deregulation dressed up as economic policy

On what planet is allowing your hairdresser to serve you a glass of wine while they cut your hair the great hope of Free Market Capitalism?

Who benefits from looser alcohol laws?

The carnage this Government have caused New Zealand over the last two years thanks to their toxic mix of crony capitalism, culture war revenge fantasies and venal race baiting won’t be solved by allowing the booze barons to silence communities complying about another bottle shop utilising exploited migrant workers.

Policy distraction instead of economic solutions

This is as bad as Labour offering GST off fresh fruit and vegetables as a response to the universal sacrifice of Covid lockdowns.

I’m not sure whether to laugh cry.

If the answer to deepening economic hardship is easier access to alcohol, then it’s not a policy solution — it’s an admission that the Government has run out of ideas.