By Michael Morrah
The Government is poised to change how New Zealanders drink and access alcohol.
This week the Law Commission recommended putting a minimum price or additional tax on some alcohol and renewed debate on the drinking age.
Youth gangs jostling on the streets of South Auckland last night were met by an equally imposing sight - the Manurewa Youth Action team.
The team, headed by Sergeant Graeme Harris, are professional and highly organised but the youths they are trained to deal with are just the opposite.
Just after 11 pm last night, the team attended a house party after finding three teenagers bashed and bloody on a nearby street.
The teens told police that they had been refused entry to the party and they were attacked as they left.
And although it proved difficult to work out who was responsible, alcohol most likely fuelled the attack.
The youngest person taken by police from the party was a 14-year-old girl. But the Law Commission says that is hardly surprising given the pricing, availability and advertising of some liquor - all things which target young drinkers.
The commission's report released this week noted that in the last two years 20,000 violence offences were committed by a person who consumed alcohol prior to the offence.
But those spoken to by 3 News say the commission's recommendations to raise the drinking age to 20 for off-license purchases won't work.
"At the end of the day, it's still going to be accessible to people under the age of 20," says 27-year-old Wesley Kiro. "It's not going to really stop them either."
Another recommendation is setting a minimum price on alcohol, something the Government hasn't ruled out.
"I think anything is in the mix at the moment," says Justice Minister Simon Power. "And the reason I say that is because the situation we have at the moment is clearly in need of some substantial repair."
Repairing the situation will likely take many years, but the Government is encouraging debate.
Submissions on the commission's report close in October.
3 News