Media Release

Monday 4 February 2013
From: Liz Inch, Communications Manager
Subject: Latest Controlled Purchase Operation brings disappointing result

Recently, staff from NZ Police and the Public Health Unit, Northland District Health Board who conducted a Controlled Purchase Operation at licensed premises in the Whangarei area were disappointed with the result.

During the operation, three out of 16 licensed premises sold alcohol to the two 17 year old volunteers. Of the 16 licensed premises tested, five were off-licences and eleven had licences to serve alcohol for consumption on the premises. One off-licence and two on-licensed premises were prepared to sell to under-age volunteers who were under Police supervision throughout the operation.

“The result was disappointing as the premises involved should have had better systems in place regarding the sale of alcohol to minors. Senior Sergeant Howard Clement, Alcohol Harm Reduction Officer, said Whangarei Police.

“The Northland DHB and Police have been running joint Controlled Purchase Operations in Northland for more than seven years. All licensees and their staff must remember, at all times, if any person looks under the age of 25 and does not have an ID, it means no sale”.

Controlled Purchase Operations (CPOs) are part of an ongoing programme to assess compliance with the Sale of Liquor Act, in an effort to address access to alcohol by minors. In accordance with the Act, applications for suspension or cancellation of licence and manager’s certificates will be made for those premises who failed the CPO.

“The result of this latest operation is very disappointing as the two previous operations had resulted in no sales”, Senior Sergeant Clement explained. “However, this operation has shown that systems have become lax and further improvement is required”.

ENDS

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