Rugby league icon Sir Graham Lowe says he is “disillusioned” with slow progress in ousting alcohol sponsorship from professional sport.
Lowe has campaigned for the change since he chaired a ministerial forum in 2014 calling for a crackdown on the visibility of alcohol in sport.
The problem resurfaced after Green MP Chloe Swabrick’s private members bill on alcohol reform was selected for consideration. The proposed law is due to be debated in Parliament later this month.
Speaking to Q+A, the rugby legend criticized how few politicians have addressed the matter. Lowe said few had made a “hard call” to support change.
“Too many politicians think they are there to win a popularity contest. They’re there to make… tough decisions, and I don’t think they have the guts.”
A petition with 6,000 signatures was handed to Parliament on Wednesday, urging MPs to support Swabrick’s alcohol reform bill.
Lowe said the “huge amount” of sponsorship money from alcohol companies is “low-hanging fruit” for groups, but professional sports can ultimately find money elsewhere.
“There’s going to be a bit of whining and kicking around, but they’ll get over it and end up finding sponsors,” he said. “When a [alcohol] The sponsorship has been removed, the marketing teams can go ahead and bring in sponsors from other areas.”
Lowe said it’s important for sports organizations to think about the role they could play in harming children.
“You don’t have to walk too far in the city of Auckland at night to see how harmful alcohol can be to young children – I’m talking 11, 12, 13 year old kids,” he said.
“Everyone is aware that at some point you have to face it. It’s no different than cigarettes – and the challenge they faced when they decided to ban cigarettes from sport.”
Swabrick’s proposed legislation would ban the sponsorship and advertising of alcohol in live sports and sports venues. It would also give local communities greater control over where liquor stores can be located.
“I’m aware of the importance of sponsorship for sports organizations … but that’s what young kids see.
“If we don’t believe that children develop brand loyalty from an early age, we are fooling ourselves,” Lowe said.
He said his forum, which included public health experts and industry representatives, was ultimately ignored by the then national government.
“I was absolutely offended by the government’s lack of response – even if they didn’t agree with what we wanted, I thought some would at least have had the decency or courage to call,” he said. “The noise from the government’s return was deafening.
“I was so annoyed – I thought what a waste of time, it was an insult to me, it was an insult to the forum… What I learned was that it’s a difficult subject that people need to face with courage .”
Swarbrick’s proposal, the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Amendment Bill, is backed by the Greens and Te Pāti Māori at first reading – while opposed by the National and ACT.
Labor MPs have been ordered to treat the bill as a vote of conscience, with high-profile opposition from Sport Secretary Grant Robertson.
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