Govt grant boost for liquor council

Press, 20 April 1981, Page 14

Govt grant boost for liquor council

PA Wellington A rise in this year’s Government grant to thfe Alcoholic Liquor Advisory Council will enable it to increase television advertising and other educative and preventive programmes. The council has been told by the Minister of Justice (Mr McLay) that this year it would receive $2.3 million, compared with last year’s sl.6Bmillion. The $1.68 million figure represented a drop from the previous year’s level of $l.B million and. meant that several of the council’s programmes, including television advertising, had to be cut back. The funding, from an independent levy on alcohol paid by the consumer, represents about 1 per cent of the total tax on alcohol.

The council’s chairman, Sir Leonard Thornton, said that the Government’s decision

indicated tnat the council’s aims were fully supported. "It is particularly helpful to be able to look forward to a consistent level of funding and to plan ahead for the next few years.” The Minister had indicated the funding would be held at the $2.3 million in real terms for the next five years. The council would be able to keep up current programmes and expand its activities, said Sir Leonard. “Support for treatment programmes and assistance to voluntary organisations are on-going commitments that this year will attract 44 per cent of the budget, or more than $1 million.” However, over the next few years slightly more would go towards preventive information and education programmes and less towards treatment, he said. “Nevertheless the need for the cape of problem drinkers

will always exist and the council will continue to advise and support those who do it.”

Research spending and employee assistance programmes would continue at a stable level, he said. However, the council believed that the longer term aim of reducing the amount of alcohol abuse should be given greater attention. The council’s spokesman said that the council could concentrate in future on specific "target” audiences, as well as on more general themes.

As an example, he said that current research suggested that 40 per cent of babies born to alcoholic .mothers suffered irreversible brain damage. It was not known what the safe level of alcohol consumption during a pregnancy was. “It is safer for them not to drink at all,” he said.