New alcohol laws in Whanganui will make it easier to oppose liquor retailers

New alcohol laws will make it a smoother process for the public to oppose liquor retailers. Photo / Getty Images

New laws will make it easier for communities to have a say in local alcohol regulation, but Whangnanui councillors are divided over what the impact will be.

The Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Community Participation) Amendment Bill passed its third reading in Parliament on August 24.

The laws will remove the ability for parties to appeal provisional local alcohol policies, and eliminate cross-examination at alcohol licensing hearings. It also allows any person or group to object to a licence application.

Chairman of the district licensing committee, Stuart Hylton, said the amendments would give everybody the power to object if they thought it was necessary.

He said previously there were restrictions on who could object.

“An individual couldn’t object unless they had an interest greater than the general public.

“It was generally those in a geographical radius of say an application for a liquor store or outlet - as a rule of thumb that was 1 to 2 kilometres away.

“Or they had to be in the industry in some way shape or form, whether it be health or an interest group that advocated on behalf of health.”

Stuart Hylton says new alcohol laws will give people greater power to object without fear of repercussion. Photo/ NZME

Councillor Phillipa Baker-Hogan said the changes in the amendment bill should have been there from the start.

“Governments need to stop pussyfooting around with key social issues such as alcohol and vaping, as tweaks in legislation simply aren’t dealing with the harm these issues are causing communities.”

Philippa Baker-Hogan says governments need to stop pussyfooting around with key social issues like alcohol and vaping. Photo/ Bevan Conley

Baker-Hogan said the Government should help local alcohol policy have “some real teeth”.

“To prevent big ugly liquor stores opening in highly visible public sites and reduce trading hours in our supermarkets.”

Councillor Rob Vinsen said he did not support local alcohol policies.

“This bill takes away the right of appeal, it seems to me that this contravenes natural justice - every decision by a court has a right of appeal.”

Councillor Rob Vinsen says only an attitudinal change can reduce alcohol harm. Photo/ Bevan Conley

Vinsen said the national alcohol policy still had location restrictions but a local alcohol policy could restrict the number of outlets.

“The only change to the national policy adopted in Whanganui was that supermarkets cannot sell alcohol after 9.30pm - instead of the national policy’s 10pm.

“I think it is quite stupid to potentially have differing closing times say in Marton and Palmerston North.”

Vinsen said only an attitudinal change could reduce alcohol harm.

“Having 16 outlets instead of 17 does not ease alcohol harm, but it would certainly make the existing outlets happy to know that they can never have increased opposition.”

Baker-Hogan said the amendment hadn’t dealt with the crucial issue of online sales.

She said local alcohol policy helped prevent a proliferation of off-license caps in the community, but it would not prevent retailers from getting a license in another district and selling in Whanganui.

“Serious community harm in areas like alcohol harm and the proliferation of vaping needs serious New Zealand-wide legislation, not tweaking of failed legislation, and pushing further work and costs on financially stretched councils and communities.”

Hylton said hearings conducted by the district licensing committee would be “a lot friendlier” towards members of the community.

“I think some people find the cross-examination that takes place currently a bit adversarial and daunting, so taking that away will assist people to come before us.

“I think it should help people to give them comfort to make objections where they see fit, and the way we conduct hearings should be a lot more open.”

Hylton said it appeared to give people greater power to object without fear of repercussion.

“I think that’s a good thing, as long as we can still maintain some formality to the process so we still get good decisions.”

In 2018 Whanganui District Council was forced to negotiate a later closing time of 10pm for liquor retailers following an appeal launched by Foodstuff North Island and Liquorland.

Eva de Jong is a reporter for the Whanganui Chronicle covering health stories and general news. She began as a reporter in 2023.