Call to address ‘aggressive branding’

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Brightly coloured liquor stores are “over the top” and such advertising needs to be brought under control.

That was one of the points made in a submission from Nathan Cowie of Communities Against Alcohol Harm (CAAH) to Gisborne District Council’s hearing on its draft Local Liquor Alcohol Policy.

Mr Cowie also called for signs warning pregnant women of the danger of drinking alcohol, to be displayed at the point of sale in licensed premises.

CAAH generally supported the council’s proposed Alcohol Local Policy as its proposals were strong, he said.

The policy should be specific about minimising external advertising, ensuring aggressive franchise branding was also brought under control.

Mr Cowie referred to bright green or orange colour schemes draping over whole buildings, along with logos and other alcohol-related imagery.

“There might not be too much liquor advertising  but the signage and colour scheme is just a bit over the top”.

CAAH  also supported the council including a discretionary condition in the policy to require easily printable pregnancy warning signs to be displayed, so as to be easily seen and read by people at the point of sale.

Mr Cowie said Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) was a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by exposure to alcohol before birth.

The main effect from exposure to alcohol during pregnancy was to the brain, but other parts of the body were also affected.

Recent research showed disability from FASD was a huge contributor to the burden of alcohol’s harm to others in New Zealand, and responsible for the loss of many life years in New Zealand.

The burden was substantially higher for Māori, he said.

Alcohol Healthwatch executive director Andrew Galloway said the policy was an opportunity to gain synergy and consistency with other councils.

The council needed to be mindful of the disproportionate level of harmful impact alcohol had on Māori.

Alcohol Healthwatch also supported advertising restrictions submitted by CAAH.

The disproportionate impact of advertising on Māori youth and Pacific youth had been established,  Mr Galloway said.

Alcohol Healthwatch supported a mandatory policy of licences not being granted for new premises within 150 metres of sensitive sites

Shorter operating hours were also  advocated as there had been conclusive evidence to the beneficial effect of this, for years.

A staff report on the submissions is before the council, which will deliberate on the policy at its full council meeting on Thursday.  The meeting is being held at Pōtaka Marae, Potaka, west of Te Araroa.