Editorial: Spotlight again on event liquor

Members of Napier City Council were caught selling liquor to a minor in a police sting at McLean Park.

Liquor licensing at major events has been brought under the microscope again by the prosecution of the Napier City Council following a sale of beer to a 17-year-old in a sting - otherwise known as a controlled purchase operation - at McLean Park.

There are, firstly, the twin ironies that the liquor was sold under a special licence issued by an agency run by the council, and that it was for a cricket match which, thanks to a bit of rain and drainage issues on the oval, did not happen.

The first irony is most pertinent, because as the council was the licence holder, police probably had a duty for the sake of transparency to prosecute. Had it been any other organisation, such as the rugby union or the cricket association, the resolution for such a first offence might have been a warning, and tightening of conditions for the next event.

The ramifications are a bit more serious than many might imagine, for the stage has been reached where there may have to be some consideration of whether liquor sales will be allowed at all at the park, or, for that matter, any other big event, at any other venue.

The system may be seen to have now painted itself into a corner, or been trapped LBW.
While no one will condone sale of liquor to minors, it has to be remembered this incident, and by and large others of similar nature at the park, was not related to any other alcohol-related offending. In the sporting context, is it really a penalty offence?

This issue needs much greater public input, for many ask whether it's all gone too far. There is wide concern at the demise of the party atmosphere which has contributed to the success of so much, to the point where security deployed in such venues to stop drunken hooligans getting on to the park may now be better used to stop crowds beating the feet out the gate.

The Wellington Sevens is a case in point, for it could be argued it was the party in the stands rather than the games on the oval that turned Sevens into an Olympic sport.
And that might not be going too far.