Licensing committee wrong on new outlet by school

The Auckland District Licensing Committee got it wrong when it ignored the voices of the local community objecting to a new liquor outlet opposite a Māngere school, Labour’s MP for Māngere Su’a William Sio says.

“The local community’s concerns about the new liquor license being granted were expressed by the Mangere-Otahuhu Local Board, the affected school and the Mangere East Family Centre. Unfortunately they seem to have fallen on deaf ears.

“As a former Manukau City Councillor, I advocated strongly for liquor bans in targeted public places and not to have alcohol be sold within 100 metres of schools, early childhood education centres, and church and community centres. I fail to see why the Auckland District Licensing Committee did not take this into consideration.

“The Committee even appeared to challenge whether the Local Board had the right to appear before them opposing the new liquor license. Of course they do, the Local Board are elected by the local community to be their mouthpiece.

“The Auckland District Licensing Committee, in particular its members from Mangere and South Auckland, should have taken into account the proliferation and easy access to alcohol and the constant drive to normalise alcohol.

“We don’t want this in Mangere.

“While our community has respectful relationships with businesses, it doesn’t support the peddling of a product that causes severe and significant harm to its people and imposes significant social and economic costs,” Su’a William Sio says.

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