The Hamilton City Council faces strong community backlash as it begins hearings tomorrow, with 90 submissions opposing a new off-premise liquor license application, signalling widespread concern over the impact on whanau.

One vocal opponent is large scale prevention initiative, Healthy Families Te Ngira with Te Kōhao Health in Hamilton that’s part of a significant Māori service provider network in Waikato, Hauraki, Maniapoto and Raukawa.

Tania Bidois, Lead Systems Innovator for Healthy Families Te Ngira, filed a powerful collective submission backed by robust data and compelling briefs of evidence from five Te Kōhao Health kaimahi.

They are united in their call to have the license denied. Te Kōhao Health is pressing the Licensing Committee to reject the application, citing the area's already high levels of alcohol-related harm as a critical concern.

The submission also highlighted the vulnerability of the community in the area targeted for the proposed liquor license, revealing that the applicant failed to address critical factors like deprivation or the existing risks to residents.

“According to the New Zealand Index of Deprivation 2018, Nawton East is one of the most socio-economically deprived parts of Aotearoa New Zealand. High deprivation is associated with high unemployment, low incomes, high levels of crime, poor housing, poor health, poor education outcomes, and greater vulnerability to the risks of alcohol-related harm,” said Ms Bidois in her objection.

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“Figures from the 2018 Census also indicate that 1167 of the residents of Nawton East identify as Māori which is 39.8%.3 It is widely acknowledged that Māori are disproportionately affected by alcohol-related harm. We note that the application does not include any information about deprivation or vulnerability.”

Healthy Families Te Ngira underscored the oversaturation of liquor outlets in the area, noting that six retailers are already within a 10-minute drive of the proposed site.

“In my work I see high levels of deprivation and alcohol-related harm in Nawton, which includes crime, damage, death, disease, disorderly behaviour, illness, or injury to individuals and the community,” said Corey Walker-Ehu, Te Kōhao Health.

Its submission also highlighted the lack of information supplied by the applicant leading to uncertainty if the licence was for a Super Liquor store.

“Given the clear evidence of vulnerability and deprivation in Nawton and the current high levels of alcohol related harm, I support the request that the Committee refuse the issue of this licence,” said Renalda Kawau, Te Kōhao Health.

“Having regard to the issues outlined above, we do not believe the Applicant has shown that it will be able to meet the object of the Act. That is, to manage the sale, supply, and consumption of alcohol safely and responsibly and in a manner so that any harm caused by the excessive or inappropriate consumption of alcohol is minimised.”

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