Te Oranga
Te Oranga is a half hour programme brought to you by the Alcohol Advisory Council and Radio Waatea and broadcast on a selection of iwi radio stations.
Hosted by high profile Maori broadcaster Aroha Hathaway, the programme takes a holistic view on how Maori look at our alcohol consumption.
Are Maori binge or social drinkers? Do we need to challenge our accepted view on how we drink alcohol?
Hear the facts, listen to the arguments and make your own opinion.
Drink driving messages not getting through
28 February 2010
A community police officer of thirty-three years questions whether drink driving messages are getting through to people.
"Christmas is the worst time," says Alfie Filipaina.
A sobriety checkpoint in Manukau on the 4th and 5th of December stopped 7,140 cars. Out of that number 99 people went to court on drink-driving related charges, 12 cars were taken off the road and 29 drivers licenses were suspended.
"It's just one of those periods leading up to the stats - the family violence, the drink driving."
He says it's a result of financial pressure on a lot of people who are worried about having enough money for Christmas.
So people usually drown their sorrows, or end up over-celebrating the festive season.
"Drinking at Christmas is good, but it's how we drink. This is the culture part of it."
"It is about choices. We tend to make the wrong ones when alcohol's involved."
He says last year there were 20 driving fatalities in the Manukau district, with 22 percent of those deaths caused by alcohol.
"Police are working with our communities around reducing the harm that alcohol has on your community, especially our young."
"We have lost people that shouldn't have been lost through a crash."
Click here to view the latest ALAC Maori Action Plan (as at November 2009)
ALAC: Maori Action Plan 2009
Te Oranga is a long term partnership with The Alcohol Liquor Advisory Council and Radio Waatea. An educative and informative programme which promotes a collective approach, empowering Te Ao Maori to effect our own changes and provide our own solutions in changing our attitudes about alcohol consumption.
Ma wai tenei waka e to
Mau, Maku, e kii ma tatou
Mauri Ora!!
Who will drive this waka
You, me, indeed all of us.
For more information, visit the ALAC website:
www.alac.org.nz