There are concerns that the end of a two-year freeze for new liquor licences at some of Auckland’s most vulnerable suburbs will spark an influx of off-licence applications, but Auckland Council thinks otherwise.
By: Torika Tokalau for Local Democracy Reporting
Auckland’s Local Alcohol Policy included a temporary freeze for new off-licences in 23 suburbs and the central city, which comes to an end on September 16.
The freeze covered priority overlay areas with high levels of alcohol-related crime, high numbers of people experiencing excessive harm from alcohol, and high numbers of existing alcohol licences.
According to the local alcohol policy, where the temporary freeze applies, the District Licensing Committee and Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority should refuse to issue any new off-licences for the first 24 months of the policy being in force.
Since the temporary freeze was introduced two years ago no new off-licences, such as bottle shops and grocery shops, have been allowed to open in these areas.
Communities Against Alcohol Harm lawyer Dr Grant Hewison was concerned that there could be a rush of new off-licence applications once the freeze ended.
“We’re concerned that council hasn’t undertaken a review as quickly as possible to see if they could justifiably extend the priority overlay and the freeze,” Hewison said. “Especially for a number of really sensitive and vulnerable communities in south Auckland, for example.”
The priority overlay areas were Avondale, Clendon, Glen Eden, Glen Innes, Helensville and Parakai, Henderson, Hunters Corner, Māngere, Māngere East, Manukau, Manurewa, Mt Wellington, Oranga, Ōtāhuhu, Ōtara, Panmure, Papakura, Papatoetoe, Point England, Pukekohe, Takanini, Wellsford and Te Hana, and Wiri.
The city centre was also covered by the temporary ban.
Council general manager policy Louise Mason said the council did not anticipate a rush in new off-licence applications when the freeze ends.
She said areas where the temporary freeze applied would move to a default position after September 16 of a rebuttable presumption that new off-licences would be declined.
Applicants must show why a new licence should be granted – despite the presumption against it – usually by demonstrating it will not increase alcohol-related harm.
“This is already working well in other parts of Auckland. You would need very strong evidence to open an off-licence in these areas,” Mason said.
“Since the Local Alcohol Policy took effect, no new off-licences have been granted where this restriction is in place.”
A rebuttable presumption for off-licence outlets currently applies to neighbourhood centres - commercial centres within residential areas.
Mason said the council was working closely with licensing inspectors and the Auckland District Licensing Committee on the transition.
“We do not anticipate a rush of applications, however, will continue to monitor this closely.”
Hewison said the temporary freeze and strict 9pm closures for all off-licence retailers introduced by the local alcohol policy had been really effective mechanisms for reducing alcohol-related harm.
“We think the local alcohol policy has been really successful, not only in Auckland – actually it’s had a national impact of reducing hours to 9pm. So it’s had significance well beyond Auckland boundaries.”
– LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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