Jacoby Poulain: Have your say on alcohol policy

The Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 was passed in December. It gives power to our local communities, but only if we use it. The emphasis of the new act is to ensure that the sale, supply and consumption of alcohol is undertaken safely and responsibly and the harm caused by the excessive or inappropriate consumption of alcohol should be minimised.

Key features of the new legislation include allowing local authorities to create Local Alcohol Policies (LAP), the introduction of District Licensing Committees and new and expanded criteria and grounds for objection of liquor licenses.

The act allows territorial authorities to develop LAPs which will increase the ability of communities to have a say on local alcohol licensing matters and allow local-level decision making for all licence applications. LAPs developed across Hastings, Napier and Hawke's Bay will guide the way alcohol is sold and served in our communities.

An LAP can cover things such as: a reduction in the total number of licences within a specific location; greater restriction on the location of licensed premises by reference to other facilities such as schools, churches, kindergartens, recreation grounds and parks, and the like; much reduced trading hours; and place discretionary conditions which may be imposed, such as one-way door policies which would allow people to leave an on-licences premises but not enter or re-enter that premises after a certain time.

LAPs cannot include policies on matters unrelated to licensing such as the price of alcohol or age limits for drinking. District Licensing Committees will be set up and responsible for issuing all alcohol licenses and will comprise three people from the community. LAPs will be used to guide decision making in this process.

The new legislation is intended to give local communities more control or influence over the sale and supply of alcohol and measures to help reduce alcohol related harm. I must admit that for the vast duration of proceedings over which the alcohol reform bill was being created and discussed I'd held relatively little hope in the legislation as I thought it would be more mere window dressing and lack any tooth and grunt. I was actually surprised with the release of the changes and the empowerment it potentially gives local authorities and communities.

The power must be taken up though if it's to be of any effect. It's not compulsory for local authorities to have LAPs and the degree of changes and controls within each respective plan will largely be due to political and community will. Councils must consult when formulating LAPs by producing provisional policies and draft policies before adopting a final policy.

Over the past few months information and opinions from people all across the Hastings District including Police, Ministry of Health and council liquor licensing officers have been gathered to develop a policy. Once developed, the draft LAP will be released to the public for formal consultation via the council website and other means. This is expected to occur later this year.

No doubt Napier, Hawke's Bay and beyond are currently doing similar. It's envisaged that many of the major urban areas in New Zealand will have utilised the necessary procedures to formulate, draft, consult, and finalise local alcohol policies by December this year when the act is fully in force. Having your say through this process is the best way to ensure the new law works best for your community.

Jacoby Poulain is a Hastings District Council Flaxmere Ward councillor.