11. SUE KEDGLEY (Green) to the Minister of Justice: Is he confident he can reduce alcohol-related harm and youth binge drinking if the liquor and hospitality industries continue to spend $73 million a year promoting alcohol?

Hon PETER DUNNE (Minister of Revenue) on behalf of the Minister of Justice: Yes.

Sue Kedgley: Has he seen research that 90 percent of 5 to 17-year-olds in New Zealand see at least one television alcohol advertisement every week, and that this exposure predisposes them to drinking, well before they are 18, and are not his reforms doomed to fail because they do nothing to reduce the saturation advertising of alcohol?

Hon PETER DUNNE: The Minister is aware of the research the member refers to. He is also aware of international evidence that is remarkably inconclusive on the impact of liquor advertising. With regard to the second part of the member’s question, I point out that the Government has adopted stage one of the Law Commission’s recommendations by extending the existing offence of promotion of excessive consumption to off-licences, and by making it an offence to promote alcohol in a way that will have a special appeal to those under the purchase age.

Sue Kedgley: Can he confirm that alcohol sponsorship of sports, clubs, rock concerts, and other events helps to embed alcohol brands and products into the everyday lives of young New Zealanders; if so, why is his Government doing absolutely nothing to reduce alcohol sponsorship?

Hon PETER DUNNE: No, I cannot confirm that. It is a matter for those who undertake such sponsorship to indicate what their motives are. I have indicated in my primary and supplementary answers the steps the Government is taking in response to the Law Commission’s report on the sale of liquor, which we believe will have a positive impact.

Sue Kedgley: I seek leave to table two documents. The first is “Creating Intoxigenic Environments: Marketing Alcohol to Young People in Aotearoa New Zealand”, published in the journal Social Science and Medicine, which documents the exposure of young New Zealanders to liquor advertising.

Mr SPEAKER: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is no objection?

• Document, by leave, laid on the Table of the House.

Sue Kedgley: The second document is the “Regulation of Alcohol Marketing: A Global View”, published in the Journal of Public Health Policy, which shows that alcohol advertising predisposes young people to drink.

Mr SPEAKER: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is no objection.

• Document, by leave, laid on the Table of the House.

Sue Kedgley: I further seek leave to table a CD that contains a series of recent television advertisements for liquor.

Mr SPEAKER: I do not think we are going to table CDs.

Metiria Turei: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I am curious at the ruling that you would not allow MPs to—

Mr SPEAKER: The member may be curious, but I have ruled.

Metiria Turei: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. It is the right of MPs to raise questions with you, and to bring—

Mr SPEAKER: It is not the right of members to dispute the ruling of the Speaker. The member will resume her seat.

Hon David Parker: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. Is it your ruling that it is not permissible to table CDs in this House?

Mr SPEAKER: I will not table CDs like that—no, indeed not.

Hon David Parker: Oh!

Mr SPEAKER: I have ruled on that. The member may not like it, but that is fine.

Dr Russel Norman: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I am just seeking clarification of your rulings. When you say “CDs like that”, what is the nature of the CD that makes it not table-able?

Mr SPEAKER: The Standing Orders provide for the tabling of documents, not for the tabling of CDs. If members want CDs tabled, they will need to change the Standing Orders.

Hon David Parker: Point of order—

Mr SPEAKER: I am struggling to understand the point of order. I say to the Hon David Parker that I have extended the courtesy of listening to his points of order earlier today. I will listen, but I want the point of order to be very clear.

Hon David Parker: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I ask you to consider carefully whether a document has to be a piece of paper in order to be tabled, because that is not my understanding of the Standing Orders.

Mr SPEAKER: It is the way I have interpreted it, and that is the way it will be.

Metiria Turei: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I would like you to take into consideration your comment to David Parker, and that you gave him the courtesy of listening to his points of order, but that in my view you have not given me that same courtesy. I would like you to give that serious consideration, thank you.

Mr SPEAKER: The reason why I have not is that the member was directly questioning my ruling, and that is not acceptable.