Our work is to achieve Pae Ora (healthy futures) through alcohol harm prevention.

We aim to improve Aotearoa New Zealand’s drinking culture by leading health promotion interventions that prevent alcohol-related harm and create environments to enable low-risk or no drinking as the norm.

We provide strategic leadership to ensure a cross-agency and community-engaged approach to address harm, with a specific focus on those with the most need. 

We deliver programmes that: 

  • promote healthy public policy through coordinated cross-sector action and building the policy evidence base 

  • strengthen community participation in alcohol-harm prevention opportunities in their neighbourhoods 

  • de-normalise alcohol in sports settings

  • support communities to drive innovative local solutions to address alcohol-related harm 

  • develop social marketing initiatives and provide accessible health information to change knowledge, attitudes and behaviours

  • improve capacity and capability for prevention within healthcare and other settings through strengthened alcohol screening, early detection and brief interventions. 

Our portfolio of work is funded from the levy on alcohol produced or imported for sale in New Zealand. 

More about our alcohol work 

What influences alcohol harm

The way in which alcohol is viewed, sold, supplied and marketed impacts how it is consumed.

Alcohol advertising normalises drinking and influences attitudes. Exposure to alcohol advertising:

  • causes craving and cues to drink through a conditioned response for those with alcohol-use disorder
  • increases the risk of rangatahi and tamariki drinking at an earlier age and drinking more
  • is more common in lower socio-economic communities, especially shop-front marketing, due to the higher density of places you can buy alcohol in these areas — Māori and Pacific communities are over-represented in these areas.

Alcohol sponsorship of sports teams is widespread in Aotearoa New Zealand. This normalises alcohol, increasing the likelihood of tamariki and rangatahi taking up drinking.

Alcohol is available to buy most of the day. This makes it easy to get and increases the likelihood of alcohol related harm.

Alcohol is affordable, making it easy to buy in large volumes.

The number of places (density) where you can buy alcohol in an area has a significant impact on the level of alcohol-related harm in that area. A higher density of alcohol stores, and how close you are to one, significantly increases the rate of:

  • binge drinking
  • assault
  • sexual assault
  • tobacco and liquor offences.

The role of public health

Public health has a legal (statutory) role in making sure alcohol-related impacts and harms are minimised across the motu. This is an important step towards growing a healthy and equitable society in Aotearoa.

  • The Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 requires the Medical Officer of Health (public health), Council and New Zealand Police to report on all alcohol licence applications.
  • Public health collects data on alcohol availability and promotion to understand how alcohol is impacting our communities and how we can reduce alcohol-related harm.
  • Public health informs and engages decision makers to make sure policy and legislation reflects current evidence on alcohol and alcohol-related harm.
  • Public health raises awareness of the impact that alcohol has on all sectors and across communities.
    Find out more about Health New Zealand's work to achieve Pae Ora (health futures) through alcohol harm prevention.

Amohia Te Wairoa — Health New Zealand (external link)

Alcohol — Health New Zealand (external link)

One for One resources

One for One resources have been created to support local Hawke's Bay Event Managers to deliver on their host responsibility by promoting 1 glass of water for 1 alcoholic drink.

A range of free resources and equipment are for hire including:

  • tear drop flags
  • canvas banners
  • posters
  • large screen visuals.

One for One resources order form [PDF, 350 KB]

Licensed premise complaints

Contact your local council or public health team to make a complaint about a licensed premises.

Councils in Aotearoa — Local Government New Zealand (external link)

Public health contacts — Health New Zealand (external link)