July 13, 2021
Otara to lead waipiro harm study
A campaigner against the proliferation of bottle stores says a new long term study will give communities more ammunition in their fight against the harm of waipiro.
Otara Maori warden Dave Ratu says government health promotion agency Te Hiranga Hauora has agreed to fund the Maori-led health needs assessment study, which will involve roopu and whānau across the community collecting data and intergenerational stories of alcohol-related harm.
He says low income areas like Otara and Mangere are a dumping ground for alcohol, as the communities don’t have the resources available in wealthier suburbs to fight off applications for new outlets.
"We got before the district licensing committees who isue the licenses and we say the harm to Maori is10 to 20 times that of non-Maori. They say 'we know that but there is no evidence,' and there isn't any evidence," Mr Ratu says.
He says existing data is dated and scattered round, with no central source on alcohol harm.
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