Latest News Have your say on alcohol law reform
2 August 2013
People who are concerned about alcohol and the harm it is doing in our communities will have the opportunity to attend community lectures on local alcohol policies by Professor Doug Sellman.
Professor Doug Sellman is a psychiatrist and addiction medicine specialist working in the addiction treatment field in Christchurch. He has been a passionate advocate for alcohol law reform and will be speaking to the public about local alcohol policies (LAPs) and how the community can be involved.
He is speaking on Wednesday, 14 August in Hawera at the Community Centre from 3.30-4.30pm and in New Plymouth at St Mary’s Cathedral, Hatherly Hall at 7.30-8.30pm
What are Local alcohol policies (LAPs)?
The new Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 allows territorial authorities to develop local alcohol policies (LAPs). A local alcohol policy (LAP) is a set of decisions made by a territorial authority in consultation with its community about the sale and supply of alcohol in its geographical area.
Through local alcohol policies, communities will be able to:
- limit the location of licences in particular areas or near certain types of facilities, such as in specific neighbourhoods or near schools or churches
- limit the density of licences by specifying whether new licences or types of licences should be issued in a particular area
- impose conditions on groups of licences, such as a “one-way door” condition that would allow patrons to leave premises but not enter or re-enter after a certain time
- restrict or extend the maximum opening hours set in the new Act:
- 8am - 4am for on-licences (such as pubs and restaurants)
- 7am - 11pm for off-licences (such as bottle stores and supermarkets).
- LAPs must be reasonable and consistent with the object of the Act. The first two bullet points above will not apply to special licences and LAPs cannot include policies on matters unrelated to licensing.
For more information please call
Gemma Gibson
Communications Advisor
Ph 753 7777 ext 8486
Last updated: Monday, August 5, 2013