To formulate a correct solution to a problem the correct questions need to be asked. In Auckland's CBD, these are: why have drunken idiots been allowed to run riot for so long, and why do the Auckland Council's proposed solutions not address the core issues and instead punish the majority who drink responsibly?
Since the 1990s, Auckland's late-night club scene has built a positive reputation globally. Many touring DJs and acts say how much they love the Auckland crowds and how vibrant the scene is. This scene has helped hundreds of local artists, many who have gone on to perform globally, hone their craft. It also entertains thousands of people a week.
Why, when forming its Local Alcohol Policy, has the council skirted the obvious core of the problem, which is addressing the drunken idiots? It focused instead on closing times of nightclubs whose patrons are generally more motivated by the music than an ability to buy a drink. Evidence shows that people who go out to dance-focused venues drink less than average bargoers, contrary to what some organisations would have you believe.
Why does the policy look like a photocopy of the police wishlist when some of those policies have little, if any, evidence of success in comparable situations overseas?
It shows a lack of imagination towards addressing the core issues which include a creeping culture of over-drinking and effectively non-existent public drunkenness laws that let people get away with it.
