Media release
5 November 2013

Lower alcohol limit for drivers welcomed

Auckland Council has welcomed the government’s decision to lower the blood alcohol limit for drivers - a move it has advocated for several years.

In its 2011 submission on the Alcohol Reform Bill, the council backed a Law Commission recommendation to cut the limit for adults from 80mg to 50mg of alcohol per litre of blood – a point not included in the Bill.

Chair of the council’s Regional Strategy and Policy Committee, Cr George Wood says the decision is significant for Auckland in the vision to reduce alcohol-related harm in our communities.

“As a council we can do a lot to regulate the sale and supply of alcohol and we have worked to address these issues in our Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy and the draft local alcohol policy currently under development.

“But lowering the limit is an important part of that puzzle if we as a society are serious about reducing alcohol-related harm, so I am delighted with this decision,” says Cr Wood, who also chaired the council’s Community Safety Forum in the last term.

Fellow councillor and chair of the Community Development, Safety and Social Infrastructure Committee, Dr Cathy Casey is also pleased by the decision.

“Any government measure that will lead to a reduction in alcohol-related deaths on our roads gets a big thumbs up from me.”

Auckland Council has an extensive alcohol planning and policy programme which includes:

• The development of a draft local alcohol policy for Auckland, which will guide licensing decisions for the region and may include rules relating to location, hours of trading, density and proximity to certain activities or facilities
• Review of legacy council Alcohol Control Policies and Bylaws.

You can read Auckland Council’s submission on the Alcohol Reform Bill here or go to www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/liquor for more information.

Ends

© Scoop Media