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The Committee considered submissions on
the Draft Local Alcohol Policy 2020 together with supporting oral statements
including additional tabled material.
The following people appeared before the
Committee and made oral statements in support of their submissions and
replied to questions from Elected Members.
Jazz Rawiri, Albert Sports Bar, Royal Hotel (40)
Jazz Rawiri spoke to his submission and
made the following comments:
- There is a huge regulatory burden for on-licence premises compared
to off-licences.
- On-licence premises are important to encourage safe drinking in
Palmerston North.
- If the Albert Bar had to close at midnight, it would be
detrimental to business as the majority of bars are empty during the day and
are active at night.
- What happened to the data from the 2am closing trial in 2017?
- The proposed reduced hours for off-licensed premises isn’t
going to affect their trade or change people’s behaviour.
- It would be better to consider bars in the industrial zones on a
case by case basis rather than implementing a blanket midnight close.
- Bars that have not breached their license should not be penalised
by early closure.
- There has been a lack of publication about the proposed changes.
He said he hadn’t directly been notified about it. The majority of
patrons know nothing about this proposal, there is nothing on social media
and it has fallen short of being properly advertised to patrons.
- The 2017 early closure trial was not advertised to patrons before
the trial started. He asked what sort of measures were taken to consult
people?
- The price disparity between off and on licenses needs to
addressed.
Ian McQueen – BAS (PN) Ltd TA Brewers Apprentice
(43)
Ian McQueen spoke to his submission and
made the following comments:
- The 2am closing trial in 2017 didn’t work as it meant
everyone was on the streets at the same time rather than a natural drop off
between 2-3am. This caused a shortage of taxis available which resulted in
more street violence.
- It had a detrimental effect on the hospitality industry as income
halved and staff worked fewer hours.
- People didn’t come into town earlier – but drank more
at home.
- Sydney is not a good example to follow, when they reduced their
opening hours, the late night economy shrank and there was no
change in the levels of violence.
- We held a 24 hour licence which worked well as people come in at
all times of day and night. However we were quite often falsely accused by
the media for incidents that had occurred near our premises, even though we
might have been closed when the incident happened.
- Since supermarkets started selling alcohol, the problem with
preloading has increased as they often sell alcohol as loss leaders. Prices
have continued to drop in off-licenses compared to on-licence premises.
- Alcohol consumption went down last year.
Kerry Hocquard – Cancer Society of New Zealand
– Manawatū Centre Ltd (51)
Kerry Hocquard spoke to the submission
made by the Cancer Society of New Zealand, she made the following comments:
- There is a link between excess alcohol consumption and an
increased risk of cancer.
- There is no safe level of drinking.
- Disappointing council hasn’t used all of its powers to limit
alcohol consumption.
- Council needs to reduce the saturation of alcohol outlets near
sensitive areas ie schools, playgrounds, places of worship. Many supermarkets
and liquor outlets are at most 10 mins to nearest school.
- Alcohol outlets in our most highly deprived areas are causing the
most harm.
- Council needs to advocate to central government measures that
reduce alcohol consumption.
- Children are heavily exposed to alcohol advertising.
- There needs to be more restrictions on alcohol sponsorship
and age limits.
- Although there is a difference between off-licence and on-licence
alcohol consumption, our commitment is to reduce consumption everywhere.
Lourie Family – Orlando Country (55)
Angus Lourie spoke to his submission and
made the following comments:
- As an event and
conference centre the proposal to close at midnight would require us
ending events at 11pm and sending people to town to carry on partying.
- It takes an hour to
close the venue, we want people to be able to leave in a reasonable manner
and not feel pressured to finish their drinks quickly.
- We would rather
people stay with us where we can guarantee their safety.
- The proposal is
going to discourage people from coming to Palmerston North. As a conference
centre we are competing regionally so putting local restrictions on trading
hours will mean people choose venues elsewhere.
- Unfortunately the
safe thing (i.e. to buy alcohol at a pub) is too expensive for most people so
they end up pre-loading before going into town. The government need to
encourage pubs to drop their prices so they are competitive with
off-licences.
Jules Grace (56)
Jules Grace spoke to his submission made the
following comments:
- Licenced premises are the safest place to consume alcohol.
The current 3am closing time works well and there is no need to change
it.
- Reducing on-licence hours won’t reduce harm but will push
people to go elsewhere to drink.
- Alcohol harm is mostly due to pre-loading and happens outside of
the bars on the streets because drunk people are not let into the bars.
- There is a lack of police presence which means people get away
with consuming alcohol on the streets which can lead to street
violence.
- The city’s reputation will be harmed if Council goes ahead
with the proposal, as our vibrant nightlife will die. Alcohol is not
the element that makes a vibrant night life, but is a contributing factor.
Reuben Takara (62)
Reuben Takara spoke to his submission
made the following comments:
- Experience as a bouncer in Palmerston North:
· Preloading has become more of a problem since the
supermarkets have been allowed to sell alcohol. They often sell it cheaply or
as a loss leader, which has meant the availability of alcohol has expanded in
society.
· There seems to be a much lower responsibility to minimise harm for
off-licences than for on-licences. This has enabled underage drinking and
excessive drinking to prosper.
· The Police commissioned early closing trial in 2017 failed
miserably. Violence increased which put more pressure on police. Bars felt
pressure to participate in the trial but once we’d agree, no additional
support was given. Patrons came into town at the same time but they had been
drinking more.
- Things that do work to reduce alcohol harm include:
· A one-way door policy at 2.30am.
· Increase pressure of police on the streets.
· Angels on the streets (need to reinstated) to help drunk people
get home or sober them up.
· Massey University Student Association needs to be more involved in
working with student hotspots in the city.
Audrey Jarvis – “Let the Children
Live” Group, Wesley Broadway Methodist Church (39)
Audrey Jarvis spoke to the submission
from the “Let the Children Live” group she made the following
comments:
- Excessive alcohol consumption increases the risk of family
violence.
- International research has found excessive preloading
increases the risk of domestic violence.
- The group strongly support reducing the trading hours for
off-licence premises.
- There is an issue of location of licenced premises, it is
important that the district plan seeks consultation for all new licenced
premises.
- Re-directing alcohol advertisements from young people to adults is
important.
- There needs to be more legislation to reduce alcohol harm.
Giselle Barets - Health Promotion Agency Te Hiringa
Hauroa (50)
Giselle Barets spoke to the submission
from Te Hiringa Hauroa, she made the following
comments:
- The agency supports the work the Council is doing to minimise
alcohol harm. The draft policy is easy to read.
- It is recommended that the council separates the early and late
hours in the policy.
- Need to include a part on limiting the growth of alcohol outlets
in sensitive sites in the city and list these sites in the policy.
Could also look at freezing new licences or having a cap in areas which have
too many alcohol outlets.
Dr Rob Weir –
MidCentral DHB Public Health Service (49)
A presentation was tabled at the meeting
for circulation to Elected Members.
Dr Rob Weir spoke on the MidCentral
DHB’s submission, he made the following comments:
- The DHB supports the proposal with a review in two years.
- Sensitive sites should be included in the draft policy.
- Support the 10pm closing time for off-licence premises.
- Research shows people are likely to consume higher quantities and drink more frequently in areas where alcohol
outlets are open after 10pm, compared to areas where
the off-licence closes before 10pm.
Note:
Councillors Lew Findlay and Karen Naylor
declared a declaration of interest in the above submission.
Murray Cleghorn – Brew Union Brewing Co (61)
Murray Cleghorn spoke to his submission
and made the following comments:
- Acknowledged the work on-licences were doing in educating the
public on responsible drinking.
- Offering a selection of low/non-alcohol beverages important as an
alternative.
- Concerned the proposed reduction in trading hours would lead to a
loss of nightlife vibrancy, particularly for conference centres.
- Police need to enforce the alcohol bylaw (which prohibits drinking
on the street) in the city centre. This would also stop side-loading (people
drinking in their cars).
- Great opportunity for central govt to review the problem of low
alcohol pricing in causing excessive alcohol consumption.
- Council would more likely reduce the harm of excessive drinking by
encouraging the police to have a greater presence on the streets at night and
by improving signage.
- The Police needs to share the data from the 2017 trial with
Council.
The meeting
adjourned at 2.53pm.
The meeting
resumed at 3.12pm.
Gary Wright – The Fish Bar Ltd and Bubbles Bar
(69 & 70)
Chris Hince – spoke on behalf of
Gary Wright’s submission. He made the following comments:
- Regarding the Police initiated, 2017 early closing trial:
· It led to a significant income reduction which caused part of the
business to contract.
· Palmerston North doesn’t have the infrastructure/ taxis
available to cater for a large volume of people to leave all at once.
This lead to violence and safety issues as people had to wait for taxis.
· Police assured bar owners that patrons would change their habits
and come earlier to town and spend more. This didn’t happen,
patrons arrived at the normal time.
· Individual bars collected data from the trial, no data was shared
with bar-owners from the Police.
· The current 3am closing time allows patrons to head home
between 1.30 and 3am, enabling the current transport infrastructure to keep
up with demand.
Julian Clark –George Hospitality Group (35)
Julian Clark spoke to his submission and
made the following comments:
- Many people who preload and then come into town don’t get
into the bars, as they are considered too drunk at the door or are forced to
leave. They are therefore left on the streets to cause problems.
- Closing early takes money out of the pocket of hospitality
workers.
- The 2017 trial, encouraged everyone to drink till 2am and then
everyone was kicked out (600+) at one time.
- We have a one-way door policy from 2.30am, it encourages people to
either filter out slowly or stay in the bar.
- From 2am-3am most people start to leave bars and go home.
- The Red Flag Team are extremely useful at sobering people up and
helping them get home safely.
Amanda Linsley - Manawatū Chamber of Commerce (48)
Amanda Linsley spoke to the submission
from the Manawatu Chamber of Commerce, she made the following comments:
- Support the purpose of Local Alcohol Policy, we need a safe
community with a vibrant city centre.
- Reducing trading hours will not reduce alcohol consumption, as the
problem is pre-loading.
- The proposal (midnight closing) seriously disadvantages the
out-of-town bars.
- Conference centres won’t be as competitive if they are
forced to close earlier.
Adam Parker – Hospitality New Zealand Palmerston
North (46)
A presentation was tabled at the meeting
for circulation to Elected Members.
Adam Parker spoke to the submission from
Hospitality NZ, he made the following comments:
- There is a lack of data to suggest there is substantial alcohol
related harm in Palmerston North. More data is needed to support any policy
change.
- The proposed policy will influence event venues if they
can’t provide alcohol after midnight.
- A recent study on preloading suggested that most people get
drunk to have fun. Restriction on trading hours not going to stop
pre-loading.
Councillor Findlay left the
meeting at 3.48pm.
Nathan Cowie – Alcohol Healthwatch Trust (52)
Nathan Cowie spoke to the submission from
Alcohol Healthwatch and made the following comments:
- Support minimum unit pricing for alcohol. As prices in
off-licences are too low, e.g. as low as 68c per standard drink.
- In terms of the policy:
· Strongly support the proposed trading hour reductions, 1am closing
in city centre would reduce harm further.
· Would recommend a sensitive sites protection eg no alcohol outlets
100m from schools.
· Would support further controls on new outlets and a cap on new
licences.
· Support review after 2 years.
· Recommend the Council looks at the Cardiff, UK approach, which
encourages shared co-ordination between council and police.
Patrick Handcock – Palmerston North Safety
Advisory Board (63)
A presentation was tabled at the meeting
for circulation to Elected Members.
Cllr Patrick Handcock spoke to the
submission of the Safety Advisory Board, he made the following comments:
- Support the proposed changes to trading hours and the review
of policy in 2 years.
- It will be a challenge for conference centres to survive,
exemptions to the policy could be considered on a case by case basis. If
businesses can prove a relevant reason for an exemption.
Bernice Adlam – The Palmy BID (47)
Bernice Adlam spoke to the submission
from the Palmy BID, she made the following comments:
- The Council is seen as biased as the proposed changes will favour
the City Council’s Convention Centre (located in the city centre
– 2am closing) over others venues in the city (proposed midnight
closing).
- Policy changes will have a detrimental financial effect on the
city’s hospitality industry.
- We support leaving the trading hours as they are and reviewing
them in
- two years.
- Preloading is the problem and should be addressed through
educational programmes similar to the anti-smoking campaign in schools. To
teach young people about the dangers of pre-loading.
- Support a minimum unit price for alcohol.
- BID Palmy would like to work with the Council to improve this
policy.
Ricky Quirk - George Hospitality Group (42)
Ricky Quirk spoke to his submission and
made the following comments:
- Spoke about
the 2017 trial:
· Fair
bit of pressure to participate.
· 11.30pm
to midnight, influx of people in bars and then forced to close at 2am.
· The
reduced trading hours made people behave worse.
· Everyone
on streets at same time led to chaos from the first Saturday. Over the six
months, things didn’t improve, people pretty upset. Out-of-towners were
confused the bars were shutting early.
· Don’t
need a mandatory one-way door policy as bars are doing it already.
Tim Adlam – The Speights Ale House Palmerston
North (54)
Tim Adlam spoke to his submission and
made the following comments:
- The Speights Ale House already closes at 2am so proposal
won’t affect it. However would like to have the option of a temporary
licence for big events.
- Suggested trailing a 4am or 5am closing time as the natural attrition
rate would make the streets safer. There would be fewer people on the street
to cause problems. The later bars stay open the easier it is to close.
- Bars can’t stop people pre-loading but we get blamed for it.
- The proposed midnight closing of conference centres is going to
impact everyone.
Colleen Maxwell – Masonic Hotel (71)
Colleen Maxwell spoke to her submission and
made the following comment:
- Supports the current 3am closing time, the 2am trial caused a lot
of problems. Due to the lack of infrastructure - patrons were faced with long
waits for taxis.
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