Liquor Ban “Draconian”

18/08/2004 Liquor Ban “Draconian”

In an overly heavy handed and ill-conceived move, the Auckland City Council will next week announce its plans to enforce a 24hr 7 day a week alcohol ban across the CBD and Parnell districts of Auckland City despite protests.

AUSA President Kate Sutton said "the council sub committee has obviously completely disregarded the testimony of a wide range of community and social groups, including the New Zealand police, who advised the council that this move was ill advised.”

This move was intended to curb alcohol related offences within the central city area, which sources confirm centre around nine homeless people, but threatens to have wide ranging implications for the Auckland community.

The AUSA was one of the many interested groups to make submissions to the Auckland Citizens and Rate Payers dominated council subcommittee, concerned that the planned penalties could see infringements as minor as opening a bottle of wine in Albert Park resulting in $500 fines.

“I am really upset the council chose to ignore an involved consultation process and the advice of their own officials, to go ahead with this over the top and draconian measure”, concluded Ms Sutton.

ENDS

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