$1 Undie 500 beer promo 'irresponsible'

A liquor store that sold $1 cans of beer to students in the Undie 500 has come under fire from alcohol watchdogs who say it was "grossly irresponsible".

The discounted alcohol was made available to any student shoppers at the Liquorland Riccarton store in Christchurch, if they told staff they were on the Undie 500 car rally and could show both student and Engineering Society (ENSOC) identification cards.

"It is grossly irresponsible and it should be illegal," said Rebecca Williams, director of Alcohol Healthwatch. "They were looking to make hay while the sun shone. We've got to be clear from a community perspective about what our expectations are, and we don't expect them to make money off everybody's harm and tragedy."

Last weekend's antics, which saw Dunedin police pelted with bottles, bricks and bicycle parts by hundreds of drunken students, has reinforced Alcohol Healthwatch's view that New Zealand needs to rethink the way it sells and markets alcohol. It is particularly concerned by the marketing tactics used by liquor companies to target young people, including university students.

"They are targeted by price specials, by events, by promotions which are basically encouraging this very type of behaviour. The students need to pick up the baton here and be responsible for their behaviour... but we do need to address the underlying factors," Williams said.

Sixty-one people were arrested in Dunedin after alcohol-fuelled riots saw crowds of up to 600 students, many drawn to the city by the Undie 500 car rally, squaring off with police. The rally is organised by Canterbury engineering students and involves a pub crawl from Christchurch to Dunedin in cars, generally worth under $500. It was the third year in a row the rally has led to rioting and mass student arrests.

Of those charged, 27 claim to attend Otago University, eight Canterbury University, three Lincoln University and one Victoria University. Three attend Otago Polytechnic and two come from Telford Rural Polytechnic. Three high school students two from Dunedin and one from Napier were also charged.

Of the remaining 18 charged, six are unemployed and two are builders. The rest give their occupations as trade assistant, shearer, mill hand, landscape gardener, forestry worker and retailer. Most arrests were for disorderly behaviour, liquor-ban breaches and obstruction.

More charges could be laid this week as police continue to review video footage and photographs. "The officers will be directed to concentrate on those throwing missiles and lighting fires," Dunedin area commander Inspector Dave Campbell said. "Police gave clear warnings prior to the event that there will be consequences for law-breakers, so the continued inquiries will come as no surprise."

On its Facebook page last week ENSOC had nothing but praise for how the event was run and how those participating behaved: "Wow. Wow wow wow. How good was the Undie 500 Charity Drive. So good. Thank you to everyone who was involved for behaving and showing that this is one of the best events out there!" It described the students' behaviour as generally "awesome".

Williams said it was time the legal drinking age was raised back to 20, alcohol prices were increased and the rules governing the marketing of alcohol re-examined to stop young people from being exposed to it. "The retailer can't be responsible for what the person does but they can be responsible for deliberate acts of encouraging that behaviour, which is obviously what this one did."

The owner of Liquorland Riccarton store said his franchise agreement prevented him from talking to the media, but it was common practice for the store to target students and it routinely advertised its liquor specials in Canterbury University's student magazine, Canta.

Liquorland's national marketing manager Angela Butler was unaware of the promotion until contacted by the Sunday Star-Times and said she could understand why people would have concerns about it.

The company refused to comment on whether the store owner would be rebuked, saying it was a matter for internal discussion, but issued a statement through a public relations agency, stating it supported the responsible consumption of alcohol and that all its promotions were for legal events.

lois.cairns@star-times.co.nz

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