Media release 24 May 2004

New controls on public drunkenness, brothels and gambling

Manukau City Council has passed new bylaws to clamp down on drunkenness in public places and control the location of brothels. It has also adopted a new policy to control gambling venues.

The liquor control bylaw is a response to growing concerns about the harmful effects of drunken behaviour which has made many public places dangerous and unpleasant.

In many areas the drinking of alcohol will be banned 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in areas including all council-controlled playgrounds, skate parks, public reserve car parks and roads adjoining car parks, shopping areas such as Manukau City Centre as well as many popular beaches and seaside reserves.

In other areas the ban will apply from 7pm Thursday to 7am Monday. The areas in this category include Cockle Bay and Howick Beach Reserve.

The ban takes effect from July 1. Signs will be put up in areas affected. Full details, including a map, will be available on the Council’s website.

Mayor Sir Barry Curtis says, “We have responded to a clear message from the community - alcohol abuse in public places is a growing problem and liquor bans are the only effective way to control it.

“Many prime recreation spots such as Eastern Beach have been ruined by the thoughtless and loutish behaviour of drunken, people partying as if they owned the place. That has to stop. "We’ve adopted a carrot and stick approach - toughen up the rules and controls, and change peoples' attitudes and behaviour at the same time. The Police are right behind the new bylaw as it strengthens their hand in dealing with drunken troublemakers.”

The Control of Brothels bylaw forbids brothels opening in residential areas and restricts them to locations in certain business-only areas of the city – business zones 4, 5 and 6.

There will also be other restrictions such as signage and location controls. Brothels may not be located within 250 metres of sensitive community facilities such as schools or churches.

The Council is also considering how to control street prostitution which, in selected parts of the city, has become a community concern. A bylaw will be currently being developed.

The Council’s new gambling policy introduces a freeze on the numbers of pokie machines and on current numbers of venues, and impose tight zoning restrictions for venues. There will be no new venues in residential areas and no more stand-alone TABs (currently there are 11).

Sir Barry says, “This is another issue where the public’s voice has come through clearly and people have been requesting action. The community wants a stop to the recent proliferation of gambling outlets, and particularly the growth in pokie numbers.

“I am pleased there will be a moratorium on pokie numbers because they are the major cause of the gambling addiction which has spread like wildfire in recent years. We already have too many.”

ENDS

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