The Other Side is an R18, two-day New Year's Eve music festival at Joe's Farm, a rural property 10km north of Whangamatā, between December 30 2020 and January 1 2021.
The event is a collaboration between Echave, Adams, promoter Clayton Spence from Nikau Rhythm, and Colin Davis of Onsite Catering as the proposed licensee.
The gig has a maximum capacity of 15,000, with overnight camping tickets for up to 4650 ticketholders on December 30 and New Year's Eve. As of October 30, 6140 tickets had been sold, including 2996 campers.
Overnight campers must leave the site by noon on New Year's Day.
In its decision, the commissioner and committee members disagreed with the agencies' joint submission that the applicant had failed to liaise with the agencies fully and struggled to put together the necessary plans and policies for this event.
"We say that the obtaining of a special licence for a large-scale event is a process and not an event. It does take time, and with input from all parties, a more robust outcome is likely.
"The applicant should have done better but in our view, they have got there in the end. "
Acknowledging the event had the potential for injury and serious alcohol and/or drug-related harm, the committee said its concerns were lessened knowing the camp bar will be in a physically defined area, limited to one drink per person, and will operate only before the concert.
Plans have been provided of the event entry points, the licensed areas, stages, bars and food vendor locations, drinking water sites, lighting sites, access between areas, and the fencing restricting access to the site.
"The after-effects of the event may impact on the community negatively and we are all only as strong as our weakest link," the committee stated. "The ball will be firmly in the court of Mr Davis and his colleagues to minimise the potential for alcohol-related harm."
It added: "Overall, the effects on Whangamatā township last year were minimal."
The committee said the application for the alcohol licence was lodged mid-August 2020 and as the supporting documents provided were lacking in a variety of ways, police and the medical officer of health (MOoH) lodged opposed reports.
Between that date and the first week of November, several meetings and communications took place between the parties, with the applicant wisely retaining counsel "late in the piece" and now a comprehensive Alcohol Management Plan (AMP) and Security Plan have been prepared and produced.
An extensive Traffic Management Plan has also been prepared and approved by TCDC.
"As we said last year, it is abundantly clear that this is a high-risk event and in addition to the opposition from the police and MOoH, the delays and deficiencies were more than sufficient for us to take a precautionary response and set the matter down for hearing," the committee stated.
The committee heard from Davis, who outlined his experience of more than 36 years in the hospitality business, as a licensee and food caterer. He said he has been granted more than 300 special licences during that period.
Davis accepted the application and supporting documents that were first lodged
were lacking and they "could have done better" but said they had done their best
to respond to the requests for further information from the agencies.
There was confusion over documents that had been prepared for their "live" (current) resource consent application and the special licence, the committee said, but the Alcohol Management Plan (AMP), Security Plan, Lighting Plan and Traffic Management Plan had all been "refreshed".
Two certificated managers will work at the main event bar and one certificated manager each at the village green campground bar, VIP, event bar and food hall event bar. In addition, a roaming intoxication assessor and a relief certificated manager will work, supported by some 130 bar staff.
Security staff will comprise 140 qualified people.
Echave said the event will be cashless, and all patrons will be wearing a RFID (radio frequency identification) wristband that can be loaded with cash to buy food and alcohol. It can be electronically deactivated to prevent alcohol purchases for anyone deemed to be intoxicated.
As a witness for police, Sergeant Will Hamilton, officer in charge of Whangamatā, told the commissioner and committee he was surprised to hear about The Other Side festival on social media.
He contacted Echave to get further information. Echave said they had felt pressured to release their line-up for the event as other promoters around the country were announcing theirs.
Under cross-examination, Hamilton agreed with counsel that most of his requests and suggestions had been accepted and implemented. He agreed there was minimal impact on the town from last year's event.
In its final comments, the committee said police had the ability to require the further reduction of alcohol service sizes, or a shift to low-alcohol beer, or to request a closure of all bars or any bar, at any time based on crowd behaviour. Any request is to be evidence-based from hourly review meetings.
"We are sure the agencies will closely monitor this event and won't be slow to take enforcement action if breaches or offences are committed."
