Parents will be asked to take control of teenage binge-drinking or risk fines of up to $2000 and a criminal record under proposed liquor law changes.

But critics said yesterday that the moves did not go far enough, and the Government had shied away from some of the hard options recommended in an April report by the Law Commission.

The changes, aimed mainly at young drinkers, would set a split alcohol-buying age of 18 at bars or other licensed premises and 20 at off-licences such as dairies and supermarkets.

The split age is backed by Prime Minister John Key and Labour leader Phil Goff and will be a conscience vote by National MPs, meaning they will not have to toe a party line.  Me Key estimates a third favoured 18, a third 20 and the rest split age.

Other measures in the draft law will be a party vote for National.

They include making it an offence to provide alcohol to an under-18-year-old without the consent of a parent or guardian.  It would be punishable by a fine of p to $2000 and the risk of a criminal record.

It would be illegal without the consent of a brother or sister, aunt or uncle or a family friend to provide alcohol to someone under 18.

Justice Minister Simon Power said the nature of "consent" would be decided of the facts of any case.  But written, verbal or implied consent would probably be acceptable.

Mr Key said his sister could assume implied consent to give his daughter a glass of wine with dinner because she had seen her having a glass at home.

Mr Power said he wanted to give parents another "tool" to deal with drinking at events such as school after-ball parties.  The pendulum had swung too far toward the relaxation of alcohol laws.

Alcohol contributed to 1000 deaths a year, and was a major factor in crime.

In all, the Government has adopted - partly or fully - 126 of the 152 recommendations in the Law Commission report.

The Salvation Army, Alcohol Action and the Drug Foundation said the Government should have raised excise on alcohol to make drinking more expensive - a key recommendation from the Law Commission, which reviewed all the alcohol laws.

The Drug Foundation said it was "deeply disappointed that two vital areas of reform have been ignored: the proliferation of cheap booze and the intense marketing, advertising and promotion of liquor".

"We're taking this process seriously," Mr Key said.

"Youth drinking is where the real harm is - and raising the price wasn't going to make much difference."

Professor Jennie Connor, head of preventive and social medicine at Otago University, said the changes would make no substantial difference to the heavy drinking culture, or to the scale of harm caused.  They were a small step in the right direction, but were like "fighting a bushfire with a couple of garden hoses for the next 20 years.  The Government has seriously misread public concern about heavy drinking and needs to rethink its policies".

In a sign MPs are prepared to set an example, Parliament will lose its exemption from licensing laws.  But existing exemptions for Police and defence force bars and casinos will remain.

The bill would be introduced in October and go to select committee for public submissions.  It will not come into force before the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

THE CHANGES

In April, the Law Commission made 153 recommendations on reducing the harm caused by alcohol.  Yesterday, the Government said it would accept 126 of them.

WHAT'S IN

A split alcohol-purchase age of 18 for bars and 20 for off-licences.

A ban on the sale of pre-mixed RTDs that have more the 5 per cent alcohol or that contain more than 1.5 standard drinks.

A new offence for anyone other than a parent or guardian to provide alcohol to an under-18-year-old without a parent's or guardian's consent.

The justice minister and the health minister can agree to ban certain alcohol products that are particularly appealing to minors and especially dangerous to health.  This is expected to apply to items such as milk-based alcohol drinks or alcohol iceblocks.

New community "alcohol plans", with details about the concentration, location , and opening hours of alcohol outlets to be agreed locally.

Default national opening hours of 7am till 11pm for off-licences and 8am till 4am for bars and clubs.  Local alcohol plans can over-ride the hours, however, with longer or shorter hours.

Changing the definition of "a grocery store" to make it hard for a dairy to get a liquor licence.

WHAT'S OUT

Defence Force, Police and Fire Service will not lose their exemptions from liquor licensing rules.

A suggested 50 per cent rise in excise will not proceed.

A suggested cost-recovery regime for drunks who have been to be taken care of is rejected.

A suggestion that supermarkets should have to keep all of their alcohol in one place is not supported.

The Government will not propose legislation increasing the minimum alcohol purchase age from 18 to 20.

(SOURCE: VERNON SMALL- NZPA, 24/08/2010 retrieved from www.stuff.co.nz)