Northland Age
  • Northland Age home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Rural
  • Opinion
  • Kaitaia weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Far North
  • Kaitaia
  • Kaikohe
  • Bay of Islands
  • Whangārei

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whangārei
  • Dargaville

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Northland Age

Letter: Council isn't listening

Northland Age
11 May, 2017 06:00 AM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

A reader is unhappy with action of the council on alcohol policy.

A reader is unhappy with action of the council on alcohol policy.

Three years ago the district council embarked on a course to produce a local alcohol policy that was to minimise the harm brought about by the misuse of alcohol.

We are somewhat inured to slow progress in the North, so it was taken as a step forward when a mediation meeting was scheduled, and held last Friday.

Without knowing what was to be discussed beforehand, it was attended with some degree of expectation. What a disappointment. The council's high-powered deputation appeared to be more interested in pandering to the interests of the industry instead of addressing the real issues.

The Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 gave licensing committees great powers to adopt measures that would minimise the tremendous harm that misuse of alcohol causes.

The committee hearing the submissions did not heed the message the public gave at the time, have not addressed them now and by inference, if the council goes to an expensive court hearing, I am responsible for the ratepayers' footing a very expensive bill when their watered-down proposals won't be supported.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

This is a very dangerous precedent in a democratic process.

Having mis-managed the process from the word go, it ill behoves the council not completing the course it set out on. Further, after dilly dallying around for three years, it is a bit rich seeking urgency in three days to enable a non-agenda item to be put on the council agenda for a regular council meeting on Thursday 11 (today) without any public foreknowledge.

If, as was proposed, the council dropped the idea, the default position is far worse than anything contemplated.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The Act allows sale of alcohol from 7am to 4am the next day. Nobody wants that. One hopes that logic and reason will prevail.

S Reilly
Kaikohe

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Northland Age

Northland Age

The New Zealand towns gaining global acclaim for their beauty and charm

Northland Age

'Public safety at risk': Guns, cannabis found in Kaitāia raid

Northland Age

Prisoners gain skills building homes for families in need


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Northland Age

The New Zealand towns gaining global acclaim for their beauty and charm
Northland Age

The New Zealand towns gaining global acclaim for their beauty and charm

WorldAtlas has favoured one area for its beauty, warmth and appeal to retirees.

18 Jul 12:00 AM
'Public safety at risk': Guns, cannabis found in Kaitāia raid
Northland Age

'Public safety at risk': Guns, cannabis found in Kaitāia raid

16 Jul 10:53 PM
Prisoners gain skills building homes for families in need
Northland Age

Prisoners gain skills building homes for families in need

16 Jul 07:00 PM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • The Northland Age e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to The Northland Age
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The Northland Age
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP