More community say in liquor licensing crucial
MEDIA RELEASE
More community say in liquor licensing crucial
18 June 2008
"Many councils support proposed changes to liquor licensing laws to provide for more community input to decision-making," said Kerry Prendergast, Vice-President of Local Government New Zealand.
According to Mayor Prendergast many councils,
particularly in our larger cities, are concerned about the
relationship between the density of liquor outlets and
binge-drinking and alcohol-related harm.
Local Government New Zealand would welcome a law change enabling local authorities to specify locations and cap the number of liquor licenses granted.
"Councils are currently limited in their ability to control the numbers and density of licensed premises, and have been advocating for some time for changes to the Sale of Liquor Act to address this.
"Councils do a lot of work to manage the impact of alcohol in their communities. New legislation that gives councils the power to consider the social and community impacts when making decisions about new licensed premises is a positive step towards improving community safety," said Mayor Prendergast.
"We are encouraged by the Government's attention to this issue and look forward to some progress in this area."
ENDS