KEY POINTS:
The public seems to agree that a review of alcohol advertising and sponsorship is needed, as a petition from our group that rapidly raised about 3000 signatures shows.
This is because of the worsening youth alcohol culture, with rocketing statistics about binge drinking and alcohol related harm. Alcohol accounts for about one-third of deaths of men in the 15 to 29 age group.
Associate Health Minister Damien O'Connor approved a committee with the alcohol industry's financially very interested associates, their advertisers, on it, and excluded our nominees. Not surprisingly, the committee accepted self-regulation of advertising and did not even examine whether we should abolish it, given the present serious situation. Our representatives would have forced them to confront this important issue.
The alcohol industry politicians achieved, de facto, a place at the policy table. They had previously tried to get a place on the Alcohol Advisory Council's board. We know from our international affiliates that this is their strategy worldwide, and the Minister has fallen for it. They have run rings round the people's representative, but he should have the courage to discipline them.
How far would we have got with banning tobacco advertising if we had given those "very reasonable" tobacco companies or their advertisers a place in policy decisions?
Aspects of the report reveal the complete lack of understanding of its writers. They say there is a high degree of industry compliance with the voluntary code; this shows "best practice".
What that actually means is that the liquor giants agree to withdraw an advertisement after a complaint is made. But this can take months, and the advertisement has done its work. A reactive complaints mechanism is completely ineffective, for this reason.
It also implies that it is a necessity to have advertising, even though it reinforces and worsens the youth alcohol culture. Advertising tells our youth "alcohol means fun, and more alcohol equals more fun".
We should be telling them "alcohol can give legitimate social pleasure, but it is potentially hazardous, so that, like tobacco, we don't advertise it or sponsor sports with it".
Half of the submissions by health professionals or by individuals advocated a total ban so how could a "democratic process" scorn them by not even discussing this aspect?
This report mentions 52 countries in which there are various degrees of regulation or bans of alcohol advertising and sponsorship. Yet none of these are examined or taken seriously.
Compromise policies, such as permitting factual advertising only (name, price, where available), are also not discussed.
The proposed creation of another bureaucratic layer with some enforcement powers will be an after-the-fact mechanism. Even pre-vetting assumes that it is right to continue to reinforce our young people's enthusiasm for alcohol by expending more than $50 million a year.
The liquor industry's voluntary code prohibits associating alcohol with social or sexual or sporting success. Clever advertising regularly and cynically breaks this code, showing that the "self-regulating" privileges should be withdrawn. Examples are on our website www.gala.org.nz.
Next week your family could be the victim of the tragedies we read of regularly in newspapers. Horrifying traffic accidents, domestic and street violence, rape, suicide, home invasion, and filling of hospital beds, are increasing. These things aren't all the direct fault of the alcohol industry; personal responsibility comes into it.
But if we had this worsening situation and there was no advertising, someone who suggested spending more than $50 million yearly to encourage drinking would be ridiculed. The mantra "It's only for market share" is just not true. The committee found a relationship between advertising and consumption.
So why did the Minister agree to a committee whose composition would ensure the real issue was ignored and cosmetic changes only would result? Control has been left in the hands of the advertising industry. We are not serious about helping our young people against such clever and expensive spin and many organisations and MPs should vigorously say so.
* Dr Viola Palmer is chairperson of the Group Against Liquor Advertising.
