By Chris Ormond of NZPA

Wellington, June 30 NZPA - A highly decorated group of New Zealanders has issued a plea for the Government to show some courage and grab a historic opportunity to turn New Zealand's harmful drinking culture around.

The group, including knights, dames, archbishops and sports people, was represented at Parliament today by a panel who told media and MPs that alcohol abuse was a crisis destroying lives and cultures, and that using the conscience vote in Parliament over the issue was no longer acceptable.

Former governor-general Sir Paul Reeves said it was an law and order issue that spread from road safety to health to protecting families. "Political parties need to have strong policies on these issues and we would encourage them to come forward and not simply leave this to a conscience vote, but to reveal to us their policies which they have to deal with these issues."

Voting by conscience on a legislative issue allows for MPs to use their own view -- rather than the party view -- often making it difficult for parties to formulate policies.

The stance from the group backs hard-hitting recommendations to curb abuse made in a Law Commission report released in April which is being considered by the Government.

Sir Paul said the report provided a "historic" opportunity for the Government to thoroughly address the high level of alcohol abuse.

Sir Lloyd Geering said it had become clear that alcohol was probably the biggest factor attacking the "valued roots" of New Zealand culture.

"We are concerned about the quality of life that is tending now to disappear -- particularly among young people."

Sir Mason Durie praised the Law Commission report and said New Zealand had a good historic record of dealing with health problems -- including reducing tobacco harm -- but to date, alcohol was an obvious exception.

Dame Temuranga Batley-Jackson said she had spent 20 years on the Parole Board dealing with serious criminals, and alcohol abuse went hand-in-hand with their offending.

She said she loved her south Auckland neighbourhood, but bottle stores had sprung up on every corner and "between the drugs and alcohol, we have lost our culture".

Mirroring the Law Commission report, the group's basic directives involved raising prices, raising the purchase age, reducing alcohol accessibility, reducing advertising and marketing, increasing drink-driving counter-measures and increasing treatment opportunities for heavy drinkers.

Sir Paul also called for Maori leaders to unite and make some noise about how serious the problem was for their people. While he was diplomatic in responding to whether or not those people were being too slack, Dame Temuranga was more forthright.

"Let me just say Sir Paul -- of course they are. There are a lot of people out there that should be taking responsibility, but they just sit back and let others do it. Where people go in the future is very dependent on the leadership we are providing today."

National has already baulked at raising taxes on alcohol but Justice Minister Simon Power said today he was following the public debate closely and "good progress is being made on the Government's response".

He said his own views on the issue were yet to be cemented. "What I've said right from the start is that we would take a regulatory view of the Law Commission report." Progress was likely to be made publicly available by mid to late August.

Prime Minister John Key said the Government wanted to address alcohol problems and that the main concerns were around youth drinking.