New alcohol policy underway for Ōtautahi

Source:  Paolo Bendandi on Unsplash 

As voted by the Christchurch City Council (CCC), a reformed Local Alcohol Policy (LAP) will be crafted. The policy will mainly focus on the sale and supply of alcohol within the city, impacting the community.  

The decision to revise the legislation, made on June 5th, is one that has been a while in the making.  

“The last time the Council tried to get a LAP across the line, starting in 2013, the process became tied up with appeals and judicial review,” said CCC Head of Strategic Policy and Resilience David Griffiths.  

However, with tweaks made to the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 by the Government, Griffiths said the process has been simplified, therefore making changes to the LAP more achievable than ever.  

While the CCC will release a draft policy, the decision itself will consider the wants and values of the local community.  

“Ultimately, every LAP is about the impact of alcohol on the community, and the community’s range of views on what’s appropriate and what’s not will inform the final decision,” Griffiths said.  

Ilam Super Liquor store owner Belinda Symon is excited to see revisions being made, and believes liquor stores should “be treated on the same playing field as other groups, such as supermarkets.” 

“Bottle stores do not have a strong group representation, and the industry is fractioned by many different banners,” Symon told Canta. 

“The changes will be influenced by the big players in the industry – for example the on premise (bars and restaurants) have a very dominant voice as do Supermarkets.” 

The LAP will additionally influence the student community within Ōtautahi, but those effects would be felt in due time. 

Because the changes to the policy are still in the early stages, it is hard to tell what sort of impact they could have on the student population.  

Griffiths said that while the LAP may include changes such as the location of licensed premises, proximity to other licensed premises, trading hours and one-day door condition, it is too soon for a direct correlation to be made to student alcohol purchasing and consumption. 

However, the kind of impact and the subsequent severity alcohol has within the Christchurch district will be at the forefront of the decision-making process, commented Griffiths. 

With so many factors to consider, the CCC estimates that the complete process will take 18 months, and be reviewed every six years thereafter.