Two extra members for Licensing Committee
5 February 2014
Two extra members for Licensing Committee
Wellington City Council has appointed two additional members to its District Licensing Committees (DLCs).
Murray Clearwater has been appointed as a Commissioner and Luke Tuffs has been appointed as a List Member.
Wellington’s Deputy Mayor, Justin Lester, who chairs the Council’s Governance, Finance and Planning Committee, says the appointments will further strengthen and broaden the experience of the DLC membership and ensure the committees can manage a significant workload.
Murray Clearwater has been appointed alongside Commissioners (who chair the committees) Sir Douglas Kidd and Rex Woodhouse. Deputy Chairs are Wellington City Councillors Andy Foster and Iona Pannett.
Luke Tuffs joins DLC committee members Sir Douglas Kidd, Alick Shaw, Sandra Kirby, Mary Hubble, Kiri Rikihana, Zoe Doole and Kate Thomson. The DLC committee members are appointed to sit for a term ending 31 October 2018.
Background:
DLCs are quasi-judicial bodies
with the powers of a commission of inquiry under the
Commissions of Inquiry Act 1908. Each meeting of a DLC will
have three members; a commissioner/chairperson and two other
members.
Profiles:
Murray
Clearwater
Before his appointment as a Commissioner,
Murray was the Environmental Health Team Leader at New
Plymouth District Council. His responsibilities included the
registration and monitoring of health and alcohol licensed
premises. During the 12 years Murray spent with the District
Council, he led more than 250 cases before the Liquor
Licensing Authority and later the Alcohol Regulatory and
Licensing Authority (ARLA); writing and presenting
submissions on a number of significant cases.
Murray was on the founding committee and, for the past eight years, President of the New Zealand Institute of Liquor Licensing Inspectors (NZILLI). The organisation contributed to the development of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012. Prior to joining the New Plymouth District Council, Murray worked as a police officer for 15 years. This included responsibilities as a licensing sergeant and a prosecutor in the District Court.
Luke Tuffs
Luke ran an
alcohol licensing consultancy, Liquid Law Ltd, from 2006 to
2013. Liquid Law specialised in facilitating the compilation
and submission of alcohol licence applications for
hospitality and retail sector clients. Prior to his role
with Liquid Law, Luke worked for both Base Backpackers and
Nomads World Hotels. Luke has held the Licence
Controller’s Qualification (LCQ) since 2006 and has
experience appearing before the Liquor Licensing Authority
on behalf of licence applicants and briefing lawyers engaged
to represent Liquid Law's clients'
interests.
ENDS