MPs urged to recognise Student Volunteer Army members

The Keep it 18 campaign is thrilled the Student Volunteer Army were given the huge honour of being awarded the ANZAC of the Year Award by the Returned Services Association.

We agree with the Governor-General that the SVA captured the true ANZAC spirit. Most New Zealanders are extremely proud of how the students of Christchurch responded to the two earthquakes that devastated their city.

Many of those Christchurch students who spent days and weeks helping restore and clean up Christchurch were aged 18 and 19 at the time of the quakes. Their work and efforts was inspirational as day after day they got up early in the morning to labour away, helping other Christchurch residents.

It would be perverse and we believe insulting for Members of Parliament to vote to make it illegal for 18 and 19 year olds to purchase alcohol. What message does that send to 18 and 19 year old students who may have spent the day labouring away as part of the Student Volunteer Army, that it would then be illegal for them to buy a bottle of wine at the supermarket on the way home?

Keep It 18 does not speak for the Student Volunteer Army, which is apolitical, but we do speak for the 120,000 adult New Zealanders aged 18 and 19, who do not wish to be made scapegoats for New Zealand’s alcohol issues, and who want to retain the ability to buy a bottle of wine at a supermarket or drink a beer while watching the rugby.

“How could MPs and others expect 18 and 19 year olds to show the maturity that Christchurch students did, if they vote that they should be treated as minors, not adults” said Sean Topham, Spokesperson for the Keep It 18 campaign.

“You can’t have it both ways, and argue 18 and 19 year olds are too immature to purchase a drink, yet praise them for their maturity during the Christchurch earthquakes.”

“We call on all Members of Parliament to honour those 18 and 19 year olds who were part of the Student Volunteer Army, and vote against increasing the purchase age of alcohol to 20.” concluded Sean Topham.

ENDS

The Keep it 18 campaign consists of the youth wings of five political parties – Young Nationals, Young Labour, Young Greens, Mana Rangatahi and ACT on Campus.

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