Politicians from across the spectrum have pledged their support for a student petition against raising the alcohol purchase age.
The MPs joined students from the Keep It 18 campaign to launch a nationwide petition at Parliament last Tuesday.
Nikki Kaye (National), Trevor Mallard (Labour), Gareth Hughes (Green) and Heather Roy (ACT) will present the signatures gathered to their colleagues in Parliament.
“If someone can be elected to Parliament, get married, or join the army, they they should be able to buy a bottle of wine,” says Kaye, who has indicated she will move an amendment to the government’s Alcohol Reform Bill to keep the age at 18.
The Bill currently recommends a split purchase age of 18 for bars and clubs but 20 for supermarkets and liquor stores.
Other MPs are likely to move amendments to raise both ages to 20.
Former Education Minister Trevor Mallard feels youth are being unfairly targeted while real issues are not being addressed.
“To say 18 year olds aren’t allowed alcohol because some business people don’t fulfil their obligations and check ages is, in my opinion, a cop-out” he says.
Keep It 18 activist Peter McCaffrey says the group—made up of representatives from the youth wings of ACT, the Greens, Labour and National—is optimistic about the response they will receive given almost 18,000 people have joined their Facebook page so far.
The petition is online: keepit18.org.nz/petition. Students can also show their support on Facebook: facebook.com/keepit18.