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Lock up drunks, say most Kiwis

By MSN NZ
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Lock up drunks, say most Kiwis (Getty Images)
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More than 60 per cent of New Zealanders think public drunkenness should be a crime, according to an MSN NZ poll.

The poll was published on www.msn.co.nz yesterday after New Zealand police arrested 369 people for alcohol-related offences and 291 motorists for drink driving in the weekend's blitz on alcohol and violence.

More than 1100 police hit the streets from 6pm on Friday until 6pm on Sunday.

They found 47 licensing breaches, 139 liquor infringement notices were issued and 115 assaults were recorded.

The trans-Tasman initiative, Operation Unite, deployed 9715 officers, made 2785 arrests, recorded 567 assaults and recorded 1281 licensing breaches in total across Australia and New Zealand.

Police were not pleased with the results.

"Success, for police, would be having a weekend free from public drunkenness, from young people being arrested for breaching liquor bans, from public-place violence fuelled by alcohol and from family violence incidents where alcohol is a factor," New Zealand Police Assistant Commissioner Viv Rickard said in a media statement.

"Sadly, that wasn't the case this weekend," he said.

Operation Unite was the first time Kiwi and Australian police have joined together for an operation like this.

It was an attempt to combat both countries' culture of binge drinking in public places, the ensuing violence, and to challenge the drinking public to take greater responsibility for their conduct.

Rickard said alcohol-fuelled violence was "one of the most pressing social challenges of our time", which costs us "millions of dollars each year and shatters many young lives".

The annual cost of crime due to harmful alcohol and drug use is estimated at $1.1 billion. Harmful alcohol use cost New Zealand an estimated $5.3 billion in 2005-06, New Zealand Police said in a media statement.

Police added that they estimated they spent $306 million or 32 percent of the police budget on alcohol- and drug-related offending and associated issues in 2005-06. On alcohol only, this equalled $172.2 million, 18 percent of the police budget.

"The 'drink to get drunk' culture cannot continue, or become the norm, and that is why we are taking decisive action," Rickard said.

Do Kiwis have a 'drink to get drunk' culture? Have your say below.

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User comments
We are not taught in depth the impact of breaking a law --- huge or less?? .... we learn from mistakes.... but when coming to spending tax payer money.... and people being put in Jails .... even though they didnt mean it..... that's the problem and could be solved rather than spending money on the problem afterwards to contain such a manner of alochal abuse.... educate people.... show them Jail Cells!!! make it a national standard across the educaiton board to educate and measure people's understanding of these things!!! not just alcohal buttt everything when coming to the law. BUT WAIT!!! THEN THERE WOULD BE LESS USE FOR LAWYERS!!!???? --- well that could be a problem .... not --- because they ripp people off anyway
Parents should be alowed to introduce their kids to alcohol at a young age and so they can learn to use the stuff responsibly and their parents can trust them with it but unfortunatly they learn when its too late! I was introduced to alcohol before I was a teenager and I have never been drunk am now 39.
What a shame..... New Zealanders are not taught how to drink in moderation. They learn when it is too late..when they have developed an alcohol related disease. Education is a wonderful thing so lets start teaching our youngsters not to abuse themselves and develop a responsible attitude to alcohol. This will also help to curb the burdon that all tax payers share caused by this preventable problem. I am in a position where I am able to look at a lot of different cultures from around the globe and when it comes to alcohol New Zealand drinking culture is appauling. New Zealand needs to raise its game. We have a country that is so proud of it clean green image but look what the people do to themselves - they abuse themselves - lets start educating ourselves to made a better world for everyone !!
Do drunkards really care what they are doing? Wether they are driving, hitting on others in the pub, smacking someone over for the hell of it or drinking VODKA until you puke and end up DYING! The kid that drunk the VODKA after STEALING it in the first place is a complete and utter MORON! He was old enough to know what he was doing. To answer your next question readers, no I have absolutly NO sympathy for him at all. My sympathy is for those the silly little fool left behind. To the father, this may have been out of character for your son, the drinking that is, but don't forget that your boy was also a thief. Was that out of character too? All the best for the rest of your family, look after the daughter that you have left.
Think about it, Its not just New Zealand its all over the world !! And if you don't like seeing drunk people enjoying the night-life just stay at home.
oh plez wake up? lock em up!!!! hahahahaha set yourselfs up for a failed future... How bout fix em up.... deep hard look at the age groups of these offenders an what is the problem behind this problem of drinking and then disobeying the laws of the land an driving. This is the problem. Disobeying the Law. Getting into a car? and driving ???? Help Help is what is needed..... PRISON ...??????
Well personally I've been to court once for 2 offenses of Drinking & driving - am not proud of it thats for sure - if anything - I was embarrassed to be in court for my stupid mistakes - but I can assure u - it definitely was a WAKE UP CALL!!!! I COULD'VE KILLED AN INNOCENT PERSON - BUT THANK GOD THAT NEVER WILL HAPPEN!!! I got suspended for 8months - lucky for me the judge was pretty lenient, but I for sure am FOR IT!!! LOCK THEM UP and CRUSH THERE CARS. Why should ONLY BOY RACERS get there cars crushed when the drunks are just as bad or in my opinion "worse"???
I was recently in a district court supporting a friend who had been doing 155km in a 100km zone at 4am in the morning, unfortunately the only other person on the road was a police officer and he got caught and had to go to court. My friend was NOT drunk. While I was waiting in the public gallery for him, several other cases involving drunk drivers came up first. A 22 year old 3rd time offense got disqualified and sentenced to community service, and so did a 34 year old, and a 43 year old who had been drunk behind the wheel for the 4th and 6th time respectively. Then when a 55 year old drunk driver who was up for the 14th time got sentenced to more disqualifcation and more community service I was absolutely astounded. Do they have to kill someone before they do to jail?? Where is the sensible sentencing??. The judge wanted to send my friend to jail for his 1st offense, until his lawyer pointed this out and he got the same sentence as the repeat drunk drivers. How is that fair??
funny thing about drink driving only 25% of crashers are caused by so called drunk people that leave 75% of crashs to sober people . dose mean it is safer to drive drunk ? . WHAT ABOUT OUR RIGHT TO CHOSE DON,T LOSE IT
being drunk isnt a crime. except when the user gets violent or reckless maybe send them to a cell for the night or get them home somehow. but shouldnt they 5 0 be worrying about the..actual crimes.. not the "theres no mayo on my burger" though. like assaults, robberys, massive parties etc

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