Chlöe Swarbrick pens new Bill in attempt to curb alcohol harm

She wants councils to control their own alcohol laws, and less alcohol advertising in sports.
She wants councils to control their own alcohol laws, and less alcohol advertising in sports. Photo credit: GETTY

Chlöe Swarbrick has put forward a new Bill that would undo current laws blocking communities from putting in place the alcohol laws they want.

The Green MP believes local governments should have control of their own alcohol legislation.

If passed, Swarbrick's Bill would also ban alcohol advertising in sports. She says sponsorship banning is proven to work, as reported in the 2014 Ministerial Forum on Alcohol Advertising.

"Tobacco sponsorship was removed from sports in the 1990s with a government programme supporting sports clubs to transition away from harmful tobacco sponsorship. We can do the same again."

This week the Court of Appeal considers Auckland Council’s Local Alcohol Policy fight against supermarket giants Foodstuffs and Woolworths. 

The Auckland Central MP says this is exactly the reason for a Bill like hers. 

"The case this week has supermarkets dragging the people of Auckland through the courts to safeguard the profit margins of these corporations at the expense of public health needs and community plans."

The Auckland alcohol policy fight has already cost over $1 million in legal fees.