Alcohol Review
The Law Commission has been asked to review alcohol legislation. What they recommend will likely result in new legislation. Part of this process is the request for submissions on their proposals. You can read the summary and access the submission process by going to http://www.lawcom.govt.nz/ProjectOccassionalPaper.aspx?ProjectID=154
The summary and submission form are fairly easy to read, understand and use.
Some of the issues are:
- Drinking Age
- Lower blood alcohol limits while driving/riding
- Advertising
- Alcohol sales licensing and hours
- Alcohol taxes
- Alcohol and criminal behaviour
- Simplification and focus of alcohol legislation
If you would like to read some background you can also go to http://www.ahw.co.nz/pdf/AHWbriefingpaper_2004-1_SOL.pdf
Why bother? Its your community. Alcohol abuse is a major contributor to traffic fatalities and to crime. If you are lucky some drunk may just steal your bike.
Submissions are due by 30 October. Take 20 minutes or more and you can do your part.
Thanks, PX 10
This link takes you directly to the summary and submission form
I have submitted the
I have submitted the following on behalf of Spokes: 30 October 2009 Law Commission Liquor Law Review SUBMISSION FROM SPOKES CANTERBURY Thank you for the opportunity to make this submission. Spokes Canterbury is a local cycling advocacy group with approximately 1,200 members that is affiliated with the national Cycling Advocates Network (CAN). Spokes is dedicated to including cycling as an everyday form of transport in the greater Christchurch area. If you require further information or there are matters requiring clarification, please contact Dirk De Lu in the first instance. His contact details are: 38 Thorrington Road Cashmere, Christchurch Phone: 337.1790 Email: newsletter [at] spokes [dot] org [dot] nz Keith Turner Chairperson, Spokes Canterbury Submission People who cycle experience the consequences of alcohol abuse daily in the form of bottles and broken glass on our roads and paths. Incidents of motorists intimidating cyclists with abuse or hurled bottles are also too frequent. The role of alcohol in these instances is not proven but clearly suspect. An obvious action to take is to require that alcoholic beverages in containers of less than 500ml be made of plastic. The litter problem will persist but broken glass and bottles as weapons would be mitigated. Treatment for alcohol abuse could clearly improve conditions for all of us who use roads. Efforts to provide residential and community based treatment are encouraged. The most direct impact of alcohol abuse on transportation is driving while intoxicated. The current laws do not adequately match the risk and consequences of this behaviour with the legal response. Spokes would encourage strengthening these laws. Driving is a privilege, not a right. Driving while intoxicated presents a real and well established threat to society with often disastrous results. Loss of the driving privilege and alcohol abuse counselling and/or treatment is obviously needed.