Helen Clark & John Key's disgraceful 'shoot the victim' response to Navtej Singh's brutal murder - which is to impugn honest shop owners and close down the shops of his colleagues -- is not just factually challenged (as Whale Oil demonstrates), it's not just punishing to all of us (as Oswald bemoans), but it's historically and demonstrably destructive. As Phil at Pacific Empire explains,
excessive restrictions on liquor outlets actually contributed to one of Auckland’s most notorious murders... [As that murder and research by Paul Christoffel demonstrates] if you criminalise something, or even just restrict the supply, you will create a black market, with inevitably violent competition. And while there is currently no, or almost no, black market in alcohol, further restrictions may well resurrect the practice of “sly-grogging”. Especially as excise tax goes up again on July 1, raising the price of spirits by up to 10%. Ill-thought-out policy will result in unintended consequences - in this case, providing another profit-making opportunity for organised crime.
Like South Auckland needs more profit-making opportunities for organised crime, right? And like the politicians really care, right?
3 comments:
Blaming the proliferation of liquor outlets for the murder of a bottle store owner is like blaming the "obesity epidemic" for the robbery of a takeaway store.
The real solution is in these kids finding something productive to do with their time - like a job. But our Government makes that too hard by not giving these kids an education in anything other than how to apply for welfare.
PC, I heard a couple of days ago that ACT were opposed to a Bill sponsored by George Hawkins entering the house that would place more restrictions on liquor store owners etc. For the Bill to be considered it needed leave of the house which required unanimous agreement from MPs. ACT indicated that they would oppose it so that would put an end to this anti-freedom Bill until a later date. Good I thought.
I now understand that the Bill received the leave of the house which tells us that either ACT is incompetent or that they don't give a shit. Either way, it is very illuminating. As you said, they are just irrelevant now.
Julian
Well done Luke & Phil. Your blog post on Liquor stores, violent crime and blaming the victim, has been nominated by the Herald on Sunday as the blog of the week.
It seems that the Libertarian's messages & ideas are starting to sink in to people's thoughts. Its good for an election year, since if the Libz can't get the 5% or an electorate seat, at least the Libz's ideas will get to Parliament by other major parties.
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