Letter: Council isn't listening

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.

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.

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