Wine group raps watchdog

Press, 8 September 1982, Page 17

Wine group raps watchdog

PA Auckland The Wine ’lnstitute has accused the watchdog Alcoholic Liquor Advisory Council of being antiwine. The annual report of the Wine Institute said that the council’s advocacy of taxing liquor on the basis of alcohol content was aimed at increasing the tax paid on wine, thus raising the price. That was being done without regard to whether wine contributed to adverse social

effects arising from the misuse of alcohol, the executive director of the institute, Mr T. J. Dunleavy, has said. ’’The council has given no recognition whatsoever to the fact that wine does not contribute significantly to social problems because it is consumed at home, or when away from home, with food and' in civilised surroundings,'' he said. The report said: "The A.L.A.C. campaign against wine has been so consistent

and so concentrated that it raises questions as to the reason for ignoring other alcohholic beverages." The chief executive of the Alcoholic Liquor Advisory Council, Mr Launder, replied that the council did not oppose the moderate consumption of any alcoholic liquor. Wine was still "taxfavoured" when compared with the tax imposed on beer and spirits. He said: "If one drank gin

it would cost about three times as much to consume the same amount of pure alcohol as by drinking wine, and about twice as much for beer. "It has been internationally recognised that social, economic "and health problems increase when the overall consumption of alcohol increases. "The council is required to encourage reduction of misuse."