Richard Seddon is Aotearoa New Zealand’s longest prime minister (back then called premier). He assumed the position in 1893 and continued for over 13 years without losing an election until his death in 1906.

As the dominant political leader of his time he was known for many things, good and bad. One that stands out and is long remembered was his description of New Zealand as ‘God’s own country’.

Adapting Seddon’s descriptor, in 1959 Conrad Bollinger then working for the Public Service Association, and subsequently an English language lecturer at Victoria University, published his first book, Grog’s own country (revised edition in 1967).

The book was a readable searing attack on the alcohol laws and the liquor industry in New Zealand.

Looking under questionable rocks

I thought of Bollinger’s book when listening to and reading Radio New Zealand’s investigative journalist Guyon Espiner’s latest piece (20 August) on the influence of the alcohol lobby on the Ministry of Health following the forced release of Ministry documents: Alcohol lobby influence exposed.

As our only public radio station RNZ is a critical cog in the democratic process. It has its critics – some on the mark and others vitriolic.

Espiner is one of its several journalists who, in terms of investigative rigour, really cuts the mustard. He knows how to look under questionable rocks.

From beneath the bureaucratically protected rock he reveals the tactics of the alcohol industry towards the Health Ministry over policies that might threaten its profits.

His investigation included a long struggle with the Health Ministry to obtain documents it tried to keep secret. This involved formal requests under the Official Information Act and a successful appeal to the Ombudsman.

The failure of the Ministry to respect the importance of open disclosure and transparency reflects poorly on its statutory stewardship role in the health system.

The industry actively lobbied health officials not to adopt measures endorsed by the World Health Organisation as among the most effective ways to reduce alcohol harm.

Specifically these measures involved raising taxes on alcohol and curbing supply or cutting industry sponsorship of sport.

Undermining measures to combat Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

The industry even went further. It endeavoured to shape a government strategy to combat Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).

Let’s be explicit about what FASD is, where alcohol fits in, and the risks of harm are. Health New Zealand describes it this way on its website:

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is a diagnostic term for a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by exposure to alcohol before birth. The main effects from this exposure are to the brain but alcohol can also affect other parts of the body.

A diagnosis of FASD requires evidence of alcohol exposure before birth and severe impairment in at least three of ten specified domains of central nervous system structure or function. Not everyone who is exposed to alcohol before birth is able to be diagnosed with FASD, but they may still have impairments caused by alcohol.

People who have FASD, or potential FASD, can experience complex physical, behavioural, learning and intellectual problems that persist throughout their lives. Impairment also varies between people depending on when and how much alcohol was consumed during the development of their brain and other parts of their bodies before they were born.

Although FASD is preventable, many pregnancies are unplanned and damage from alcohol exposure may happen before a woman knows she is pregnant and stops drinking alcohol.

Health NZ and the Ministry of Health advises to stop drinking alcohol if you could be pregnant, are pregnant or are trying to get pregnant. There is no known safe level of alcohol consumption during pregnancy.

So what is the response of the alcohol industry? In Espiner’s words:

Officials handed the draft FASD plan to alcohol companies for feedback – while keeping it from the public. Spirits New Zealand dismissed estimates that up to 3000 babies are born with the disorder each year as “not credible” and attacked a taxpayer-funded ad campaign from 2019, even though it won five awards.

As Espiner reports, whereas the Health Coalition Aotearoa said the industry should have no role in shaping alcohol policy, the Ministry was relaxed about it. Relaxed is my word, not Espiner’s, but it seems an appropriate summary description.

A spot on diagnosis I can’t emulate

I was impressed with the quick but penetrating response to Guyon Espiner’s investigation by Dr Trevor FitzJohn on LinkedIn (20 August):

Very interesting to see the machinations of politics and big business in this case “Big alcohol “. 3 major issues here for me. Firstly that NZ allows lobbying like this, secondly the alcohol interests raising near spurious arguments to defend their profits, and thirdly the Department felt ashamed enough of its actions that it tried to hide them. That in itself shows it’s duplicity.
Excepts
Ministry of Health deputy director general Andrew Old “accepted the alcohol industry was motivated by profit.
“I also would hope that, in doing that, they don’t want to be doing harm,” m. Being naive?
The Brewers Association also warned against using the Alcohol Levy to fund “controversial” programmes it believes won’t reduce harmful consumption.
“Examples raised in our meeting included research with little application actions in the outcomes, funding of legal support for opposition of licences and replacing sponsorship arrangements in sport organisations with funds from the levy.” Really? They don’t remember the success of “Smokefree”?
We cannot see how any FASD (Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder) -prevention plan can be started without good data as a baseline. We would ask that the Public Health Agency give assurances that work on measurement frameworks occurs prior to other plan elements being launched.” Really? Again this so echoes the early days of smoking and “lung cancer is not related to smoking”.
As a responsible alcohol producer I am against irresponsible alcohol promotion that leads to alcohol abuse. The alcohol industry needs to regulate itself so harm can be reduced and the public can enjoy alcohol   drinks.
Well done Guyon Espiner.

This says it all. I can’t match or surpass this analysis. Dr FitzJohn’s diagnosis is spot on. If Conrad Bollinger was alive today, he might be tempted to opine Grog’s own health system!

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