Few areas of New Zealand have alcohol licensing trusts, and an ACT MP is questioning whether they benefit their local communities. Photo: 123rf
Clarification: This story has been updated to clarify that the bill would abolish alcohol licensing trust monopolies, not the trusts themselves.
Law changes proposed for alcohol sales rules will treat West Aucklanders like adults by scrapping alcohol licensing trust monopolies, an ACT MP says.
Currently, publicly-owned alcohol licensing trusts operate in West Auckland - as well as Invercargill and Mataura in Southland - are used to run hotels, taverns and off-licences, with the profits going back to the community.
But if passed, MP Simon Court's member's bill would abolish all alcohol licensing trust monopolies.
The current system is a mess, with confusing inconsistencies, monopolies and inflated prices, Court said. For example, supermarkets in licensing trust zones are not allowed to sell alcohol, but it can be delivered to people's doors.
ACT MP Simon Court Photo: VNP / Phil Smith
Getting rid of the trusts would allow more bars and eateries to emerge, and bring back vibrancy, diversity and colour to local communities, he said.
"A lot of the restrictions are outdated, they're nanny state, they really don't recognise that West Auckland is a growing and vibrant part of Auckland ... West Auckland is growing rapidly."
There were only eight venues licensed as taverns or hotels in West Auckland, which has a population of 296,000 people, he said: "One for every 37,000 residents. In Auckland as a whole, there is one venue for every 3900 people."
"The community is being underserved. It means that some locals either go without the services that other Aucklanders rightfully expect ... or they have to travel and spend their money elsewhere in Auckland."
"We have one hotel where you can get room service in West Auckland - [for] 300,000 people. I mean name a comparable city of 300,000 where there's only one hotel."
The issue had been a problem for some time, the MP said. So he has written to his fellow-MPs, asking them to refer the bill directly to the House for a first reading, instead of having to wait for it to be drawn by ballot - the usual course for a Member's Bill.
Waitākere ward councillor Ken Turner said he was sympathetic to Court's efforts, but did not see it as a top priority.
"It's not a high priority. But it's been a long-lasting issue that is always kind of simmering under the surface, and it would be good to sort this out."
Locals had debated the issue several times already, Turner said.
"It has been to a referendum twice, I think, and both times that referendum failed.
"I do think there's an argument where if it's kept in its present form, there is a regular - once a decade or something - referendum, built into the local body elections."
Court said about 80 percent of the funds generated by the trust are from pokie machines, not alcohol sales, undermining the argument the trusts help support community causes. And he did not support the argument that more controlled sales of alcohol minimised alcohol-related harm.
Health Coalition Aotearoa spokesperson and alcohol researcher Professor Jennie Connor said the bill was not needed.
"Politicians have been using the language that 'it's paternalistic to have these trusts'," she said.
"But the trusts are supported by those who live in the local communities and for many years they've decided to continue with the trusts.
"They don't see the reasons to change as worthy.
"Its anti-democratic."
Connor said ending the licensing trusts' monopolies could see more liquor outlets, and more harm to the community.
"They have advantages that other places don't have and one of the big ones is that they don't have any alcohol in the supermarket and the trusts have slowed down the proliferation of pubs and bars," she said.
"The availability of alcohol isn't as rampant as it is in some other places and the propensity of alcohol-related harm relating to on premise licenses like pubs and bars is reduced."
Connor said there was evidence reducing the availability of alcohol in communities led to less alcohol-related harm.
There was no direct evidence that less harm had been seen in licensing trust zones compared to other regions around the country. However the combination of less visible advertising and less exposure and fewer alcohol outlets was pro-health, she said.
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