Auckland bars will be able to stay open until 4am in the CBD, but there will be a two-year freeze on new retail liquor outlets in areas of the city where alcohol is a big problem.
These are among the decisions by the Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority after hearing appeals on Auckland Council's proposed alcohol policy.
The authority has rejected appeals by the police and others to reduce the maximum trading hours for bars and clubs to sell alcohol from 4am in the CBD and 3am everywhere else
Nobody in our communities is saying, 'Gosh, we wish there were more places to buy booze
The authority has also upheld a council proposal to place a two-year ban on new off-licences in areas of Auckland where alcohol is a major problem and a ban on the sale of alcohol from supermarkets, grocery stores and bottle stores after 9pm.