Liquor law passes first hurdle

The Government's liquor law bill passed its first reading in Parliament today amid strident criticism from opposition MPs who said it would do little to curb binge drinking or reduce the harm alcohol caused.

The Alcohol Reform Bill will enact previously-announced proposals, a raft of law changes affecting the sale and supply of liquor.

It gives local authorities strong powers to decide their own licencing regimes, proposes splitting the purchase age to 18 for bars and 20 for supermarkets and liquor stores, puts restrictions on the supply of liquor to minors and extends the description of public places where drinking can be banned.

Justice Minister Simon Power said risky drinking was becoming increasingly normalised in New Zealand, especially among young people.

"The Government is not going to stand by and allow excessive and harmful alcohol consumption to become further ingrained into our culture," he said.

View Full Story

Online name suppression laws to be tightened

A notice-and-take-down provision for internet hosts and ISPs that facilitate breach of Court name-suppression orders is part of planned changes to the law governing suppression of name and other details of defendants, victims and witnesses. The planned changes were announced by Justice Minister Simon Power today.

Reform follows a Law Commission paper on suppression and include “introducing a new offence to capture New Zealand-based internet service providers or content hosts who do not remove locally hosted suppressed information which they know is in breach of a suppression order, and who fail to block access or remove it as soon as reasonably practicable.”

The suggested reforms will also increase the penalties for breach of name-suppression and evidence-suppression orders. The maximum fine for organizations that breach suppression goes up from $5,000 to $100,000.

For individuals breaching suppression orders the maximum term of imprisonment will be doubled, from 3 months to 6 months. “Judges will also be able to impose a fine of their discretion in lieu of imprisonment if the circumstances warrant it,” says Power. The current maximum fine is $1,000.

View Full Story