Supermarkets will be forced to display alcohol only in a single, non-prominent part of the store under a change to the Government's Alcohol Reform Bill.
The justice select committee reported the bill back today, and it is ready to go through its remaining stages in Parliament although it isn't expected to be passed before the election.
The committee hasn't changed the proposal for a split purchasing age of 18 in bars and 20 in supermarkets, which is likely to become law.
Surveys have shown most MPs favour a split age but those who want it kept at 18 for both, or raised to 20 for both, are expected to put up their own amendments which will be decided on conscience votes.
Other changes made by the committee include explicitly prohibiting convenience stores from selling alcohol and introducing a minimum age of 20 for a bar manager certificate, which is 18 at present.
The bill, introduced by Justice Minister Simon Power, carries a raft of changes which give communities a greater say over liquor outlets, sets tougher rules for licence applications, permits the banning of products which are "particularly appealing to minors'' and widens the definition of a public place in liquor bans to car parks and school grounds.
It also increases penalties for a range of liquor offences, and makes it an offence for anyone other than a parent or guardian to provide alcohol to anyone under 18 without a parent's or guardian's consent.
Mr Power said he accepted all 130 amendments made by the committee.
"This bill focuses on minimising alcohol-related harm, including crime, disorder, and public health problems and zeros in where harm is occurring _ particularly around young people,'' he said.
"However, the Government has been conscious to do this in a way which does not unfairly penalise responsible and moderate drinkers.''
The committee received thousands of submissions on the bill and chairman Chester Borrows said its provisions reflected a call from the community to constrain rather than liberalise alcohol laws and conventions.
Lobby group Alcohol Healthwatch said most submitters had wanted the bill strengthened but the committee had ``kicked sand in their faces''.
"The committee has made only very minor changes,'' said the group's director, Rebecca Williams.
"Everyone agrees we have a significant problem with our drinking culture...this is like sending in the Tonka toys when the heavy machinery is needed.''
Another lobby group, Alcohol Action NZ, said the bill was "shamefully weak'' and ignored widespread public concern.
"The Government may be trumpeting the bill as the most important piece of alcohol legislation for over 50 years, but it is still devoid of any substantial measures that could make a significant difference to the damaging heavy drinking culture in New Zealand, said the group's medical spokesman, Professor Doug Sellman.
The Green Party, which submitted a minority report on the bill, said it failed to address advertising, sponsorship and price issues.
"Submitters on the bill were absolutely clear that price is the single most important issue in reducing our binge drinking culture,'' said MP Sue Kedgley.
"We'll never reduce it if we allow alcohol to be sold so cheaply that young people can load up for binge drinking sessions every weekend.''
The Labour Party said it would continue to support the bill, although it considered it didn't address key issues.
In its minority report, Labour said that when the bill came up for its committee stage it would raise the lack of a minimum price, commercialisation of alcohol and the commercialisation of alcohol as an ordinary commodity, making it readily accessible.
Key changes to the Alcohol Reform Bill made by the justice select committee include:
* Restricting supermarkets and grocery stores to displaying alcohol in a single, non-prominent area of their store. This is being done to reduce concern about the "normalising effect'' of selling alcohol alongside other household products
* Adding a regulation-making power requiring those who sell alcohol to provide price and sales data to inform the Government's consideration of a minimum alcohol price
* Explicitly prohibiting convenience stores from selling alcohol
* Changing the definition of grocery store to premises that sell a wide range of food products and other household items
* Requiring premises that are exempt from holding a licence - police, fire service canteens and the Defence Force - to implement internal codes of practice that follow as closely as practical the rules and restrictions applying to clubs, such as not selling alcohol to intoxicated people, providing free drinking water, and restricting who they can sell alcohol to
* Allowing all on-licences to open from 6am to serve breakfast, on the condition that no alcohol may be served until their licensed trading hours start
* Allowing limited exceptions to the national maximum trading hours - 8am to 4am - for genuine events such as live northern hemisphere sporting fixtures, through special licence process
* Introducing a minimum age of 20 years to obtain a manager's certificate.
