Sophia’s parents back opposition to easy alcohol

Sophia Crestani. Photo / Supplied

The parents of a young woman who died in one of Dunedin’s most high-profile alcohol-related deaths are backing a student group’s battle to end easily accessible alcohol at the city’s supermarkets.

Sophia Crestani, 19, died in a stairwell pile-up at an overcrowded flat party in October 2019, but her parents hope a hearing today will herald the start of a safer student drinking culture.

Students for Sensible Drug Policy Dunedin (SSDP) is set to contest Countdown Dunedin Central’s alcohol licence renewal application before the district licensing committee.

Crestani’s father, Bede, said he thought the students were “really courageous” and he hoped they would be listened to with respect.

The police were also contesting the application and the arguments of both should be taken seriously by Countdown, he said.

SSDP’s objections include the sale of cheap, single-serve beer, cider and wine, as well as late-night sale hours and external alcohol promotion.

Crestani said he was concerned about all the factors raised by the group.

It was an opportunity for positive change and he urged the supermarket to look at the hearing in this light.

The Sophia Charter, a collaboration to improve student safety and wellbeing and involving the University of Otago and other groups including the police and the Dunedin City Council, had made major strides, yet there was still a lot to do.

“We want to see access to alcohol reduced, to see less outlets and more control.

“We have to look at what good can come of this.”

Crestani’s mother, Elspeth McMillan, said social responsibility was key and people and society should come before supermarket profits.

“From our perspective, and also the students we have spoken to, access to cheap alcohol has killed the student bar scene,” she said.

This led to students choosing to drink at flat parties where overcrowding became an issue.

However, a bar was a more controlled environment with some level of supervision, making it a safer option.

It would also create a cleaner Dunedin, where the student quarters were not strewn with rubbish in the wake of parties at flats, she said.

SSDP said in a statement yesterday earlier community efforts to address alcohol-related harm had fallen flat because of corporate opposition.

“Just short of a year later, Sophia Crestani tragically died at a North Dunedin flat party, which was fuelled by off-licence alcohol that had become out of control.”

Cheap alcohol streamed out of off-licences and was the fundamental cause of the hugely damaging level of alcohol-related harm, including a horrific amount of sexual violence, experienced by students and young people in Dunedin, the statement said.

“This is why we have objected to Countdown’s licence being renewed without harm-minimisation conditions being imposed, and why we will continue to object to off-licence renewals on the same basis.”

SSDP and police have contested other licensing applications recently.

Decisions on these are due to be released soon.