Liquor reform has become a political hot potato in New Zealand, this paper argues, and has resulted in misguided policy.

Social problems caused by alcohol have meant successive governments have come under pressure to regulate sale and consumption of alcohol. One factor driving public outrage about has been reports that give outrageously high ‘social costs’ of alcohol, that discount benefits, and that have little basis economic in fact.

The New Zealand Law Commission’s report into reregulating the sale of liquor was overly reliant on public health literature that made a) a series of erroneous economic claims and b) holds values based views parading as objective evidence. A Liberal alcohol regime should be continued, in which personal responsibly is emphasised.