Top marks to Tararua
Top marks to Central Tararua licensed premises
On
Friday 16 August 2013, 15 licensed premises in the Tararua
area were
visited in a combined operation by Tararua
District Council Liquor Licensing
Inspectors, Public
Health Officers and Police.
This was the first multi-agency operation in the Tararua area since 2009.
For the operation three volunteers below the legal
purchase age of 18 years
attempted to purchase alcohol
while being observed by a plain-clothed member
of
Police. The volunteers for this operation were aged 16 and
17.
The controlled purchase operation visited 6 Off
Licence premises, 7 On
Licence premises and 2 premises
that operate an On Licence and a separate
stand-alone
Off Licence from the same premises.
In total there were 20 attempted purchases at the various premises.
There were no sales.
The regulatory agencies involved were
extremely pleased with the results
especially since
compliance has rarely been tested.
A number of licensees
and duty managers were spoken to on the night and,
whilst somewhat surprised to find the minors were under
the direction of
Police, they were happy to know they
had passed the test.
Sergeant Glenn Ryan, Palmerston
North Police Alcohol Harm Reduction Officer,
said, "It
is satisfying to know that all of the premises checked were
vigilant. They all asked for identification and when
the volunteers were
unable to produce it, they were
immediately asked to leave the premises."
"That is what we want - compliance."
The only disappointment was some
licensees were upset at having their
compliance tested
and they became abusive towards the volunteers and
regulatory agencies.”
"Licensees need to remember
that holding a liquor licence is a privilege, not
a
right. Government has seen fit to authorise the use of
controlled purchase
operations to ensure premises comply
with their obligations under the Act."
"That
authorisation continues under the Sale and Supply of Alcohol
Act 2012
so premises should expect to have their
compliance tested regularly."
ends