10/06/09
Dear Colleague
It is now 13 weeks until the official launch of the Liquor Control Campaign, at the Cutting Edge Conference in Wellington, Thursday 10 September. There is a lot yet to organise but we're well on track.
A question I'm being asked more and more is this:
What is the Liquor Control Campaign about?
Here is a simple explanation:
"A 5+ solution to a 5+ billion dollar problem"
The 5+ solution is the set of policy directives based on "Alcohol: No Ordinary Commodity"
1. Increase the price
2. Increase the purchase age
3. Decrease the accessibility
4. Decrease the marketing/advertising
5. Increase drink-driving surveillance measures PLUS Increase intervention opportunities for heavy drinkers and the 5+ billion dollar problem is the conservative BERL estimate of $5.3 billion social costs due to alcohol in the 2005/2006 year.
About money. Basic costs for the national lecture series are now all covered but we don't yet have a publicity budget, starting with pamphlets and newspaper advertisements.
A colleague has applied for a $5000 grant as a contribution to the pamphlet budget ($16,500 for 90,000 pamphlets) and several other organisations have indicated interest in giving donations so it is looking very positive. If we can raise $40,000 for a publicity budget we should be able to stir up serious public interest (and therefore government interest) in the campaign and the 5+ Solution for a healthier and safer country.
A dedicated bank account is being set up through the John Dobson Memorial Foundation Charitable Trust and Trish Windley, Financial Administrator for the Salvation Army Bridge Programme here in Christchurch, has volunteered to be an Honorary Treasurer for the Campaign in her own time, which is brilliant. We are not quite ready for you to make a donation.
Finally, I'm attaching a letter I've written to Hon Peter Dunne, Associate Minister of Health (Alcohol and other Drugs) with copies to the Minister and his two other Associate Ministers, for your information. I'm able to include electronic copies of three of the five articles that I've summarised for the Minister in the letter, on the basis that you will not further transmit the article. I'm currently seeking permission from the publishers to send out electronic copies of the other two. The references to all five papers are below. So far I've received acknowledgements from Hon Tariana Turia and Hon Dr Jonathan Coleman. I will keep you posted on developments.
Thanks a lot for your continuing interest in and support of the LCC.
Sincerely
Doug
