— Wellington, Monday 25 July 2011.

Liquor store a hazard to Cannons Creek community.

The Porirua Salvation Army is opposing the renewal of a liquor license for
a Cannons Creek bottle store, saying the negative impacts of its operation
are a danger to its clients and the wider community.

Porirua Salvation Army social service centre manager Major Ray Gordon says
the Fantame Liquor Store is located close to Salvation Army emergency
housing accommodating up to nine women and their children. Some of these
families have fled abusive domestic situations where alcohol has been a
major aggravating factor, he says.

The liquor store’s 9am to midnight trading hours has led to many of the
shop’s customers drinking in the vicinity and into the early hours of the
morning.

“Drunken altercations and rowdy behaviour are fairly common,” Major Gordon
says. “For women and children who have been traumatised, with alcohol
abuse often a root cause, having the bottle store and a constant flow of
customers 15 hours a day can be very distressing.”

Occasionally, women staying at the houses are waiting for placement for
addiction treatment and the bottle store and its clientele are not
conducive to staying sober, he says.

For many other Salvation Army social service clients seeking food, budget
advice or counselling, the easy access of alcohol in Porirua and its abuse
is an underlying reason for them seeking help, Major Gordon says.

“A parent with an alcohol problem can wreak havoc on the family budget,
children can be neglected or abused and there are often long-term
psychological scars,” he says.

The Salvation Army has made a range of submissions to Government on what
it sees as shortcomings of the Alcohol Reform Bill, and suggested
remedies. These include the need to give the public a greater and better
defined voice in the granting and renewal of liquor licenses and input
into local authorities’ liquor plans.

The most effective measure to reduce alcohol consumption by young people
and heavy drinkers – increasing alcohol excise – has already been
sidelined by the Government. This measure is viewed by the World Health
Organisation as the most cost-effective method of reducing alcohol
consumption by young and heavy drinkers.

The Salvation Army is supporting Russell School’s celebration of Cannons
Creek as a caring community and for the need to provide a safe environment
for local children. The school is holding a community event, including a
public action opposing the liquor licence renewal, on Tuesday, July 26
outside the school on Fantame Street from 4.30pm.

Issued on the Authority of Major Rod Carey (Central Divisional Commander)
The Salvation Army, New Zealand Fiji & Tonga Territory

ends

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