Davies Misleading With 'Alternative Facts’ on Liquor Bill Economic Assessment

The DA notes the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) bizarre statement today about their failure to complete the socio-economic assessment study on the Draft Liquor Amendment Bill.

The DTI are muddying the waters by conflating policy and legislation. If a study had been done on the policy, the fact remains that a full and extensive impact assessment must be conducted on the Bill, before it is submitted to Cabinet for ratification.

There is a big difference between policy and legislation but appears Davies and his team do not get the distinction.

Last week, the DA received confirmation that this vital study has not been completed on the Bill, and that this study will only be conducted after public comments have been incorporated, which seems illogical.

This is putting the cart before the horse, we need to know how the Bill’s proposals will impact jobs before it is introduced as the study could inform further changes.

It is incredibly irresponsible for Minister Davies to have introduced this Bill without a proper socio-economic assessment study being done and appears that some within Government are leading him by the nose.

It is even more irresponsible for the Minster to manufacture ‘alternative facts’ about the lack of credible evidence, including an economic impact assessment to back up his Bill.

The public has a right to know what this Bill will cost our economy and the impact it will have on job creation and sustainability, especially considering the proposals to not grant liquor licenses within 500 metres of schools, places of worship, recreation facilities, rehabilitation or treatment centres, residential areas and public institutions.

The DA will continue to push for the impact assessment report to be conducted and released to the public so that those who could be affected have the information they deserve.

Statement issued by Dean Macpherson MP, DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, 17 February 2017