Photo: 123RF
A community leader in Christchurch wants the city to follow Auckland's lead in bringing in a ban of supermarket and bottle store alcohol sales after 9pm.
Auckland's local alcohol policy (LAP) was approved earlier this month by the Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority, edging it a step closer to its implementation.
Christchurch City Council is in the early stages of developing its own LAP.
Waitai Coastal-Burwood-Linwood Community Board chairperson Paul McMahon said stricter controls would help prevent alcohol harm.
"If we could follow suit with what Auckland has done that would be a great start. Seventy-five percent of alcohol is purchased off licence. It's the most harmful drug in our society and we need to be a bit more responsible with how we regulate it," he said.
Police documents have revealed [https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/518567/police-commissioner-floats-tighter-alcohol-regulation-as-trade-off-to-reduce-estimated-7-point-8b-harm-from-booze
alcohol harm accounted for $7.8 billion every year] - compared to $1.8b for illegal drugs.
Auckland's new alcohol policy includes a two-year freeze on new liquor licences in some areas and stricter trading hours, meaning bottle shops and supermarkets across the region will not be able to sell alcohol after 9pm.
Auckland Council will choose a date for the new rules to come in next week.
McMahon believed communities in Christchurch, like his own, Woolston, would be in favour of this locally.
"The later it gets the more likely it is that it's impulse buying and people continuing to drink when they've run out. You know at 10pm at night topping up, that's where the problems start to happen."
In June, Christchurch City councillors voted to begin developing a LAP.
The council embarked on the process in 2013, but abandoned it four years later due to mounting legal action by the liquor industry.
Law changes under the previous government and a Supreme Court decision largely backing Auckland's plan, have paved the way forward for other councils.
"If Christchurch decides to do something similar I have every confidence that it will stick," McMahon said.
Phil Mauger Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon
Christchurch mayor Phil Mauger said development of the city's LAP would be guided by feedback from the public on alcohol harm in their area.
"It's going to be a hell of a lot of work, what the end result is I don't know, but it's fair. We've got to let people have their say and see what the pinch points are; what the bad points are. We might be able to stop supermarkets selling alcohol at certain times, I don't know, it's whatever comes out of it.
"I know one outlet out my side of town where I live it wasn't or isn't opening between half-past-two and half-past-three or four o'clock when kids get out of school and walk past it, so there's little things like that we can do."
Developing a LAP might cost between $20,000 and $100,000, Mauger said.
He expected consultation with the public to take about 18 months.
Hospitality New Zealand chief executive Steve Armitage said the industry supported efforts to create a safer alcohol consumption environment.
"I think in relation to what's on the table in Auckland, our members would feel that that's landing in a good place. It supports on premise environment through restricting off premise trading hours across the city.
"In relation to Christchurch and whether other parts of the country look at Auckland as a bit of a template for how they approach things, we'll have to wait and see," he said.
In statements, both Woolworths and Foodstuffs said they would work constructively with the Christchurch City Council on any future alcohol policies.
