Auckland has attempted to address the problem of alcohol and the harm that it does. It is respectfully suggested that they did not go far enough.
With the Sale and Purchase of Alcohol Act 2012, Parliament gave quite sweeping powers to communities through their territorial local authorities, and whatever the community wished could be enacted despite the political and financial clout of the powerful, and mostly offshore-owned, liquor interests. That, to my thinking, simply means that what the community wants the community will get, and if the above mentioned interests object, then it is for them to take issue with the state, ie it is not the local council's problem.
It is respectfully suggested that our local council has been a little too timid, and as it has yet to formalise its policy, the time is available to revisit the issue.
The overarching principle is to reduce the harm caused by the drug called alcohol. This is best achieved by reducing the availability of alcohol. To this end, why not simply not renew the licences for grocers and supermarkets when and as they come up for renewal?
It never was their core business, and should not be an attraction for shoppers with the big price discount temptations.
