Listen to Clendon's youth on liquor

THE HARD QUESTION
On a recent Saturday, about 100 youngsters led a hikoi through Clendon, their South Auckland suburb, to protest against more liquor outlets opening there and in nearby Manurewa.
The hikoi was organised by Clendon Community Support Group, a group that initiates local youth activities and aims to give residents a greater voice on significant issues that affect their community.
Their spokesperson said residents were unhappy about having seven liquor outlets in their small community. ``We need a district plan, which prescribes the types of activities that can be zoned in our community. We also want to be able to oppose the establishment of new bottle shops, pubs and bars.'
Many local body politicians throughout Greater Auckland would sympathise with the Clendon group but point out that they are hamstrung by resource management and liquor licensing laws.
Essentially, a council has no say in where or whether a licence is granted. It's a long and expensive legal battle, with little chance of success, if someone wants to challenge the decision over a licence.
As Manurewa Community Board chairman Daniel Newman says, ``It's obvious that communities like Clendon are being disadvantaged by a permissive set of planning rules. ``Decisions about things like whether to allow new liquor outlets to be established shouldn't be possible without consulting the community it's impacting.'
The Aucklander agrees. You're darned right, Mr Newman. This situation affects many suburbs across our region. In the same way, councils and communities have lost any practical power to regulate prostitution, boy-racers and pokie machines in their areas.
Today's first letter sums up many citizens' frustration, and that's why we've taken the unusual step of printing it in some editions in which the original report didn't appear.
- Editor
I applaud the Clendon Community Support Group for standing alongside the young people of Clendon-Manurewa in opposing the number of alcohol outlets in their community.
I cannot understand the mentality of the Liquor Licensing Authority when issuing alcohol licenses in vast numbers within a community that has a high population of young people. It seems that the social impact of alcohol on the community is not taken into account.
The law must be amended to provide local bodies with more legislative powers to prevent more outlets or renewal of licences, and invest more support in local bodies to effectively prosecute breaches of the law (such as selling to under-age drinkers).
I note that George Hawkins, the past Minister of Police (and other portfolios) had the opportunity over several years to prevent this from happening; after all, he has been in Parliament for a very long time.
His presence at the hikoi was viewed by some as a ploy; using young people and the community to advance a campaign for upcoming elections.
Finally, the police must have legislation, support and resources to work alongside councils to effectively make a difference.
I feel for the children who visit their local dairy for ice-cream and treats.The sanctity of this traditionally safe environment is being jeopardised.
I certainly question the logic in selling alcohol close to community centres, libraries, primary and intermediate schools and childcare centres. There is a process through Manukau City Council to object to the establishment of alcohol outlets and there has been some success using this process.
However, the information provided to the community about their rights is sadly lacking.
I totally agree that the Manukau District Plan needs to be overhauled. The inclusion of environmental impacts on the surrounding residents, makeup of the community and population must be taken into account before any alcohol licence is granted.
The Licensing Authority has an obligation to the community to ensure that the residents' concerns are taken seriously. After all, they are the ones who live, work, play and raise families.
It is true that the young people are our future, and it is great to see them speaking out. Listen to them. Raewyn P Clark JP, Totara Heights
BRIDGE POLL: We need an Option 5, because all the other options are fatally flawed. Option 1 already exists and is too great a distance for most users. Options 2, 3 and 4 are reliant on a single piece of already over-capacity roading from Victoria Park to Grafton.
Our infrastructure planners continue to let us down by not providing bypasses around key choke-points. ``Single point of failure' analysis is understood by other engineering professions, but not some of our key infrastructure planners.
My Option 5 is for a tunnel to go from a revamped interchange at the bottom of Onewa Rd across to Grafton Gully.
This will provide an alternate route that bypasses the congested CBD. Users will be able to access both the Southern and Western motorways from the existing Grafton Gully interchanges. A key design feature to make this route a success will be to have no CBD exits. Key benefits of this proposal will be: A proper CBD bypass Avoiding the need for the proposed tunnelling under Victoria Park or doubling of the Victoria Park viaduct, which options 2, 3 and 4 all need, but do not include the price of:
Enabling freer-flowing traffic to get from the north to the south or west without being impeded by CBD traffic.
The reduced flow across the bridge will allow two lanes to be set aside as permanent public transport lanes. Russell Baillie, Sandringham MALE CALL I: I have just read the Male Call column re camping.
I have never read anything more glib, unsophisticated, unintelligent and unrealistic.
What a total waste of space. It is unproductive, negative and thoughtless. I'm gobsmacked that you would print it.
Thanks for your other stuff, that I have been able to learn or be inspired by. Jeanette
MALE CALL II: Refreshing to see your paper including a male point of view as a regular feature. Hans Laven
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