Laws to limit the harms of alcohol in communities are a step in the "right direction" but there's still more work to be done, advocates say.
It comes ahead of the first reading of Chlöe Swarbrick's alcohol harm reduction bill in Parliament this evening.
Alcohol Healthwatch director Dr Nicki Jackson told Breakfast this morning that the power is firmly in the hands of alcohol companies, with communities losing the fight "time and time again".
"They're up against the resources of alcohol retailers and they just can't stop the number of liquor outlets coming in."
Under Swarbrick's bill, the appeals process for local alcohol policies would be scrapped, meaning local councils gain greater control over alcohol regulation.
Jackson said reforms at the local level are vital to protect communities.
"Communities want these controls to be put in place, but councils have struggled for years and years... trying to get their policy across the line to protect communities."
"Communities have to keep fighting licence by licence rather than having a good policy in place that protects them."
But Swarbrick's bill will have to overcome several hurdles - the Government announced its own two-stage reform of alcohol laws last month, and National and Act have both promised to block the bill.
The Government's alcohol law reform incorporates the first part of the bill, but it's reluctant to ban alcohol sponsorship from broadcast sport, as proposed by Swarbrick.
Jackson said there are "strong links between alcohol and sport in this country that need to be broken".
"Marketing is still a big game changer for change in our drinking culture."
While the reforms are "long overdue", Jackson says there's still more to be done to reduce harm.
"We're still kind of ignoring the elephant in the room, which is the biggest driver of consumption, which is the price of alcohol."
She says over the past two decades, alcohol has become increasingly affordable.
"Our wages can buy more alcohol than ever before, particularly cheap alcohol sold for less than a dollar a standard drink."
"We're moving in the right direction but that change has to happen now."
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