The National Party has decided how it will vote on upcoming alcohol reform legislation, putting the drinking age to a conscience vote and the rest to a party vote.A caucus meeting this morning agreed the party would vote unanimously on the reform package,
The National Party has decided how it will vote on upcoming alcohol reform legislation, putting the drinking age to a conscience vote and the rest to a party vote.
A caucus meeting this morning agreed the party would vote unanimously on the reform package, due for its first reading before the end of the year, while individual MPs would choose how they voted on changes to the drinking age.
It is up to the caucus of each party to decide how their MPs would vote on the legislation.
Justice Minister Simon Power said voting along party lines would ensure the reforms provided "a consistent, coherent, and enduring regulatory framework for our alcohol law."
"However, National MPs will be able to exercise a free vote on the alcohol purchase age, recognising that this is a conscience issue."
Labour leader Phil Goff said this morning it would be up to each Labour MP how they voted on the drinking age.
Prime Minister John Key said yesterday the cabinet had made its decisions about changes to alcohol legislation and was working on shoring up support with other parties.
He declined to detail which recommendations from a comprehensive Law Commission report would be picked up.
The last time a conscience vote was held, in 2006, MPs voted 72 to 49 to keep the drinking age at 18.
Mr Key told reporters today he would favour splitting the age between licenced venues and off-licences.
"That's been my position in the past and that's what I'd continue to do. So I'd vote for it to be 18 on a licenced premise and be raised to 20 on an off-licence.
"In my view it's about the accessibility of alcohol to people who are below the age of purchase."
Mr Goff said he supported a split age because it was better to have 18-19-year-olds drinking under supervision rather "than out of the back of a car in a reserve somewhere."
He said it was up to each Labour MP how they voted but he expected many of them would support a split age.
National MP Tau Henare said he "wouldn't have a clue" how he would cast his conscience vote.
"But I did vote to keep it at 20 the last time."
Asked how he felt about splitting the age, Mr Power said: "It's an option amongst the three."
Police and Corrections Minister Judith Collins said she was "getting there" in making a decision.
National MP Chester Borrows said he was keen on a split age but would "see what the options are."
"I've always been pretty keen on that preference because people who are drinking alcohol in pubs are well-policed by the other drinkers, by the bar staff, by the door staff and the occasional visit from the cops. It's one mechanism of raising the de facto drinking age."
Among those who voted for raising the drinking age in 2006 were Mr Key, all four Maori Party MPs (there are now five), and Labour MPs such as David Cunliffe and Clayton Cosgrove. Several National MPs and Progressive leader Jim Anderton also favoured raising the age.
Voting against were many of the younger MPs, as well as Mr Goff, National's Bill English and the Green MPs.
The National caucus also agreed today to vote as a party on previously-announced changes to drink driving legislation, including reducing to zero the alcohol limit for drivers under 20 and recidivist drink drivers.
That legislation would be in place by early next year.
