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The drinking age debate has led to a proposed Government crackdown on the sale and supply of liquor to underage drinkers.
Justice Minister Mark Burton and Associate Health Minister Damien O'Connor surprised many of their colleagues yesterday when they unveiled a plan to review the impact of underage drinking.
The ministers, both of whom support keeping the drinking age at 18, said there was already considerable work going on to improve the enforcement of current drinking laws.
But the widespread debate about underage drinking inspired by the bill had moved the Government to order a review of the issue if the bill failed, Mr Burton said.
"What we're saying is that if the bill doesn't proceed after today there will be a need to pick up those core issues ... We're assuring people there is a means to do that."
Mr O'Connor said the review was not an attempt to pre-empt the vote on the bill, but was being announced on the eve of the debate because people needed reassurance the Government shared their concerns about the issue.
"I think there are a lot of MPs and a lot of New Zealanders hoping that just by putting the age up to 20 a lot of the problems will be solved. I don't believe that, but we have clearly flagged that if the age does not go up the Government will be looking at this area of underage drinking and the harms caused by that for many young people across the country."
The review proposal blindsided many MPs, some of whom were angered it had been announced before the debate and vote on the bill.
"It looks like they are trying to cut across people's free vote by conscience," National MP Wayne Mapp said.
"They should frankly wait until Parliament decides rather than trying to dictate."
Mr Burton said rather than concerned MPs considering complex drinking policy changes during a debate on Mr Gallagher's bill, they should instead contribute to a review of the real underlying issues around the sale and supply of alcohol to minors.
"I certainly don't think that that is the solution that people have overwhelmingly raised with me, and that's the sale and supply of alcohol to kids as young as 11, 12, 13, 14, binge-drinking by kids of that age," Mr Burton said.
"Lifting the age from 18 to 20 is not a response to that which makes any sense to me."
The Drug Foundation said the proposed review was too narrow and was a limited response to a huge problem.
"The Law and Order committee has already undertaken a review of the weaknesses of our liquor laws - their consideration of the drinking age bill took 11 months and received 180 submissions," foundation executive director Ross Bell said.
A Herald poll of MPs last night suggested supporters of raising the age had a slight edge, but with more than 30 MPs still to make up their minds the vote was too close to call.
