Proposed Alcohol Reforms 'Come At High Cost To Communities'

Wednesday, 3 September 2025, 1:11 pm
Article: Torika Tokalau - Local Democracy Reporter

The Government's proposal to relax alcohol licensing rules will prioritise profits over public safety, an advocacy group warns.

Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced on Thursday a proposal to make changes to the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act, which would make it harder to object to liquor licence applications.

It included limiting who could object to a liquor licence to only local communities, and gave applicants the right to respond to objections at District Licensing Committee hearings.

Communities Against Alcohol Harm, a south Auckland-based group that supports groups to object to licences, said the proposed alcohol reforms were a missed opportunity to reduce harm.

Secretary Dr Grant Hewison said communities across Aotearoa have increasingly voiced strong concerns, especially to new bottle stores.

“Bringing back barriers to community participation risks excluding important voices, such as regional and national groups, iwi/Māori and health providers,” Hewison said.

"Reintroducing checks on the rights of people to make objections will cause delays and expense for both applicants and councils.”

Providing applicants with a formalised right to respond to objections would create an adversarial imbalance and likely chill community participation, he said.

“Limiting objections also conflicts with Treaty principles of partnership, active protection and participation. Communities have been crying out for stronger tools to manage alcohol harm, not weaker ones.”

Hewison said the reforms risked silencing critical voices, weakened harm minimisation, and undermined Treaty obligations.

"[It] tilts the licensing process in favour of applicants, at the expense of public health and community well being."

The Government's proposals also covered licence renewals under a new Local Alcohol Policy - requiring District Licensing Committees to change licence conditions rather than completely decline an application - and updated regulations for rapid delivery services, like Uber Eats.

"We shouldn’t be expecting couriers and Uber drivers to be burdened with the responsibilities of certified duty managers, ensuring alcohol is not supplied to minors or intoxicated persons, without the same accountability frameworks in place,“ Hewison said.

In her announcement, McKee said the focus was about restoring fairness and practicality to the system, without compromising public safety.

“Most New Zealanders who choose to drink alcohol, do so responsibly,” McKee said.

"Our reforms recognise that responsible drinkers should not be penalised because of the behaviour of a few who do not drink safely.“

Hāpai te Hauora Māori Public Health chief executive officer Jason Alexander said the Government’s proposal would weaken already unacceptable alcohol laws.

It handed more power to the alcohol industry at the expense of whānau, he said.

For decades, alcohol has been given a free ride in Aotearoa - promoted widely, and sold on almost every corner, despite the overwhelming evidence of the harm it causes, he said.

“These measures will only ensure that continues.”

-LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.

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