YWCA push for less drink in Wellington

YWCA Greater Wellington president, Vanisa Dhiru agrees alcohol consumption is engrained in our society. Many young women drink to get drunk - its now seriously out of hand. Walk down Courtenay Place after midnight on a Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday night its embarrassing. Young women taking alcohol pops like cough drops, young people loitering the streets with booze hidden in cars, young women with puke on their dresses - alcohol can put our young women at risk of causing harm to themselves and to others.

We accept the Wellington City Councils bylaw change but its not nearly going to be enough for Wellington, or for Aotearoa. We need to take on the Law Commission's proposed 5+ solution raising alcohol prices, raising the purchasing age, reducing alcohol accessibility, decreasing marketing and advertising and increasing drink driving counter-measures. Thats five the plus is increasing treatment opportunities for heavy drinkers those with serious problems. One local change possible now is reducing alcohol accessibility by reviewing and declining on and off liquor licences the Council can give out.

YWCA Executive Director, Makere Derbyshire says, 85% of the NZ population say they drink. In the 12-17 age range, more girls than boys drink - but in all other age groups, men outnumber women. Here are the facts, we need to change our culture and culture change may need to start with youth if wiser role models, like parents, dont want to change. We want young women to make positive life choices and drink responsibly.

We need to empower our young women help to create a safe and secure community for everyone says Dhiru, the first woman aged 29 years as president for the YWCA in the Wellington region.

Well await our governments next steps and hear the changes theyll make in the next few weeks. Hopefully our leaders will be able to lead us out of a national drinking culture sooner rather than later.

ENDS

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