MPs got drinking age wrong - poll

  • Breaking
  • 17/10/2012

By Duncan Garner

A 3 News/Reid Research poll has found voters think MPs were wrong to keep the drinking age at 18.

Six weeks ago Parliament voted by 68 votes to 53 to keep the drinking age at 18. But when 1000 voters were asked if the MPs got it right – 57 percent said no, 40 percent said yes and 3 percent did not know.

Prime Minister John Key says he was always uncomfortable with Parliament keeping it at 18, and that it was a missed chance.

“That's one of the reasons I voted for it to go to 20 – in line with what the public thought - but Parliament didn't vote that one,” says John Key.

Mr Key actually voted for a split age – 18 in pubs and 20 at off licences – but when that was knocked out, he voted for a single age of 18 instead of 20.

Some MPs, however, don't want to hear the criticism.

“Yeah the public always tells us we got it wrong - on a daily basis,” says National MP Tau Henare.

The experts say Parliament missed a golden opportunity to raise the age because MPs are in the industry's pockets.

“It's money, and some of the most powerful people in New Zealand are making a lot of money out of the heavy drinking culture,” says Professor Doug Sellman.

“You can see the degree by which the Government is captured by the alcohol industry”.

Other MPs, including Peter Dunne, say it's now their job to make the new law work.

“It just means that the challenge now is for Parliament and Government to make sure the police have the resources to enforce the law as passed."

3 News

source: newshub archive