Bill to kill liquor ads back again

A controversial bill with the potential to derail prime-time liquor advertising is set to be returned to Parliament next week with a new champion.

Labour MP Martin Gallagher has picked up the Sale of Liquor (Youth Alcohol Harm Reduction) Amendment Bill where former Progressive list MP Matt Robson was forced to leave off, after losing his seat in September's election.

While the bill is mainly aimed at raising the legal drinking age to 20, it also proposes restrictions on broadcast liquor advertising before 10pm.

And it seeks to extend the jurisdiction of the Broadcasting Standards Authority to include broadcast liquor advertising issues, wresting them from industry body the Advertising Standards Authority.

The bill lapsed with the change in government but Finance Minister Michael Cullen is expected to table an "omnibus" motion next week for all bills that lapsed due to the election to be reinstated.

Robson said his bill was in "good hands" with Gallagher, who voted for it in the first reading. "There'll be a lot of members of Parliament who'll want to kill it ... most MPs would like to kick it away."

Several industry bodies would also like to see the bill extinguished. David Innes, executive director of the Radio Broadcasters Association, said the proposal would put restrictions on liquor advertising on radio for the first time, giving it the same 10pm watershed as television.

"Our view is that it was an unreasonable proposal under Matt Robson and, in the hands of Gallagher, it is still an unreasonable proposal," he said.

"It has to go through the democratic process of select committee, but our feeling is that deficiencies in the bill mean it will go no further."

Others were also confident the status quo would prevail. "Most people in the main parties believe the system is working pretty well in terms of jurisdiction and watershed," said Bruce Wallace, executive director of the Television Broadcasters' Council and chairman of the ASA.

Liquor and advertising industry representatives argue that there is no evidence that advertising increases liquor consumption and that advertising merely influences people to choose one brand over another when they do drink.

They also say the self-regulation of advertising, including vetting liquor ads before they are broadcast, works well, while splitting responsibility for ad regulation between two bodies would increase cost.

Robson said he had little confidence that the present system was in the public interest. And while he said banning advertising of alcohol on TV was not spelled out as part of the bill, "the bill was a proposal to explore all of the options. That is an option".

While the make-up of Parliament has changed, broadcasting experts do not believe there has been any fundamental shift in the environment for most regulatory issues that could affect advertising and the media.

If anything, some believe the focus could switch firmly on to the Labour Party's core agenda, given its more tenuous grasp on power than in its previous term.

"Significant changes to the status quo are going to require a greater commitment than ever to make them happen. They'll save their strategic strength for things that matter," said Michael Carney, Mediacom media strategist.

He believed TVNZ would remain under the political heat lamp. "I suggest the charter will come under scrutiny - there was a lot of pressure before the election for some of that money to be switched to NZ on Air."

The Ministry of Health is conducting a separate review of liquor advertising, sponsorship and promotion which could again explore the option of handing responsibility for liquor advertising from the ASA to the BSA. It is expected to make a recommendation before the end of the year.

Innes was particularly concerned by a discussion document released by Communications Minister David Cunliffe just before the election, which looks like increasing the number of radio licences to promote diversity.

It includes proposals that would mean at least five new radio stations could be broadcasting in most areas of New Zealand in 2006.