The Law Commission carried out a review of liquor laws and gathered a huge amount of evidence from Police, hospitals, doctors and experts on the harm being done by liberal liquor laws. They recommended changes to the Government but due to the power of the liquor industry these were watered down or ignored.

Professor Doug Selman stated that “John Key and his Government have capitulated to the alcohol industry and refused to control the intense advertising, marketing and super-availability of alcohol that will continue to drive the heavy drinking culture.”

Sir David Skegg said that the recommendations of the Law Commission to introduce liquor reforms had been ignored by the Government due to lobbying by the powerful Liquor industry.

Professor Jennie Connor has written about liquor industry lobbying and other activities. 

A 2018 report to the Government recommended restrictions on the sale, price and availability of alcohol but it was ignored.

According to Sir David Skegg, the alcohol and tobacco industries got the Public Health Commission abolished so NEW Zealand was poorly prepared for a pandemic in 2020.