31 July 2018

Appeal over angle of shelves appalling waste of public money, says NZABC

An appalling waste of public time, money and energy is how the Alcohol Beverage Council is describing a decision by the Manawatu Medical Officer of Health to appeal to the High Court over the angle of shelving in a Dannevirke supermarket.

“MidCentral District Health Board should have better things to do than spend almost $90,000 chasing a small business over a petty matter of detail,” says Executive Director Nick Leggett.

The appeal centred around some of the alcohol display shelving being at an angle when the licence renewal application plan showed it being at right angles to the wall. The Medical Officer of Health said the angled shelves increased, “rather than minimised”, the exposure of alcohol products to customers passing the alcohol area. The District Licensing Commission had decided the angled position of the shelves made “little or no difference” to the exposure of shoppers to alcohol and were not in breach of the Sale & Supply of Alcohol Act.

“The Police and the local council had no issues with the alcohol displays, nor had any members of the public complained – but the story gets worse,” Nick Leggett says.

He released details of the costs of the High Court action along with the disclosure that eight other DHBs had also been involved in funding the action due to its perceived ‘national significance.’

“While it beggars belief how the angle of retail shelves could ever become a health issue of ‘national significance’, I think people in Invercargill, Nelson, Canterbury, Dunedin and the West Coast will be shocked when they realise health money allocated for their medical care is being frittered on petty court action hundreds of kilometres away in the North Island.

“I’m really worried that this legal crusade has taken on bigger-than-Ben-Hur proportions.

“I couldn’t believe that when I originally requested all emails involving the case from MidCentral, I was told there were more than 1000 emails between staff on the topic.

“In terms of time and energy and court action, this case has cost health-care consumers across New Zealand hundreds of thousands of dollars. Imagine how many hips could be replaced or cold homes insulated for that. It’s an indictment on a sector that’s struggling to pay nurses properly.”

Nick Leggett said following the Police pursuit of bowling club liquor licences in Wellington, NZABC is calling on the Government to “reign in” Medical Officers of Health across the country and limit their work to harm reduction from real risks, rather than pursuing responsible licencees.

“We know there are some who work in health and the Police who think they know best on behalf of Kiwis and the choices they make. The agenda of such people is to reduce the amount of alcohol drunk by everyone, and they will go to pretty much any means and any public expense to do it.

“When nurses are battling for fair pay and DHBs say their hands are tied in terms of improving access to community health services, they are apparently able to find the funds to fight, lose, and appeal such petty cases in the High Court.

”Palmerston North, Whanganui and Dannevirke residents will be rightly asking how their DHB can be choosing to make these kind of choices over patient care and staff pay.”

Nick Leggett said the Sale & Supply of Alcohol Act is rightly designed to reduce the harm caused by excessive or inappropriate consumption of alcohol.

“It’s not designed as a tool for DHBs to pursue and attack every retailer or sporting club responsibly selling alcohol to their customers and members.”

ENDS

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