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Govt plans will cut compliance costs for wineries

Hon Lianne Dalziel
Commerce Minister and Associate Minister of Justice

15 October 2008 Media Statement

Govt plans will cut compliance costs for wineries

The government is slashing red tape for wineries which sell wine for the cellar door or by mail order for off-site consumption by making licensing easier and manager training requirements more proportionate to the lower risks involved.

Lianne Dalziel, in her joint roles as Commerce Minister and Associate Justice Minister, and Hastings-based Labour List MP Rick Barker today announced proposals to amend the Sale of Liquor Act 1989 to enable wineries to obtain a 'perpetual licence' to sell liquor in this way, instead of having to spend time and money applying for licence renewal every three years. Winery managers responsible for supervising the sale of alcohol from the cellar door or by mail order will also be exempted from aspects of the training required for managers of bars which sell liquor for drinking on the premises.

Lianne Dalziel said these changes would cut compliance costs considerably for wineries and ensure the requirements were proportionate to the risks involved.

"Wineries that sell wine from the cellar door or by mail order present a low risk of alcohol abuse and harm. The sale of wine from these wineries is not associated with excessive consumption or the sale and supply of alcohol to under-age drinkers. Rather, wineries with an off-licence tend to sell relatively small volumes of wine to consumers who are more interested in the quality of the wine than the quantity they consume," Lianne Dalziel said.

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"As a former Minister for Small Business I am very conscious of compliance costs for businesses and these changes are a direct result of the Quality Regulation Review which highlighted the small issues that cause big headaches for businesses.

"We place strict controls on the way in which businesses selling alcohol operate, for very good reasons. However, the level of regulation must be proportionate to the risk of harm and in these cases the risk is very low so they should not be treated in the same way, for example, as city bars or hotels serving people on the premises."

Making the announcement today on behalf of Lianne Dalziel at the international regional wine tasting and launch of the Hawke’s Bay Winegrowers' wine story, Our World in Your Glass, Rick Barker said that wineries form an important part of Hawke’s Bay’s economy and of New Zealand’s other winegrowing regions.

"I know they will welcome this news. The government is working to ensure that businesses do not face unnecessary costs and regulatory burdens and I am pleased to be able to support these proposals."

Lianne Dalziel says that the changes would not apply to wineries with cafes or restaurants that sold wine for drinking on the premises.

"Those wineries sell wine under an on-licence and will continue to be subject to the stringent standards demanded of businesses that sell alcohol for consumption on the premises."

Lianne Dalziel said that legislation would now be drafted to progress these changes.


ENDS

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