Downtown Community Ministry
Bulletin
28 March 2007
Dodgy Dairies Support Addict’s Drinking

Workers at Downtown Community Ministry are outraged at the actions of several dairies that offer credit to known addicts for methylated spirits and alcohol consumption.

Di Landy, Coordinator of DCM’s housing programme, Project Margin, says ‘Shop owners across Wellington are preying on the damaging addictions of a group of well known street drinkers.”

She says Wellington dairies, “from Miramar to the central city,” are offering the credit.

“These shop owners have got to be pretty low to supply these substances knowing that it is harmful to them.”

“Each time they give them more meths it’s more damage that’s done to the bodies of these clients.”

Di says, “Two of our regulars came in last week ‘skint’ of cash telling us they had just paid off an $80 credit to a dairy in a central suburb. That’s a lot of money if you’re on an Invalid’s Benefit.”

Wellington City Council’s City Safety Manager Laurie Gabites says, “Council is continuing to explore ways in which it can work with community organisations and suppliers to limit the use of solvents”.

DCM says it is willing to report the known dairies to the Council and will consider naming the shops publicly should the credit continue to be offered.
ENDS