Kaikohe pensioner pushes back against alcohol sales in supermarkets

Kaikohe man Shaun Reilly is used to taking on big opponents - in this case he was fighting for a last-minute stay of execution for the derelict but historic Kaikohe Hotel.

A David versus Goliath battle is brewing in the Far North, with a Kaikohe pensioner taking on New Zealand's biggest supermarket chains.

The scrap centres on a council attempt to reduce alcohol harm by cutting off-licence hours and setting rules about the location of liquor stores.

In mediation earlier this year the council reached a compromise with four of the companies and organisations that appealed against its proposed liquor rules - Progressive Enterprises (which owns Countdown), Foodstuffs (New World and Pak'nSave), The Mill and Hospitality NZ - but a fifth appellant, Kaikohe man Shaun Reilly, is sticking to his guns.

The other four found the proposal too restrictive; for Mr Reilly, it wasn't restrictive enough.

The next phase of the battle will take place at an Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority appeal hearing at the Turner Centre in Kerikeri on December 13-15, when Mr Reilly will put his case for cutting off-licence hours, including alcohol sales at supermarkets, to 10am-7pm. He also wants off-licence sales banned altogether on Sundays.

Progressive has applied to have Mr Reilly's appeal thrown out claiming that it is "vexatious, frivolous and an abuse of process". Progressive is also seeking costs from the 83-year-old retired farmer, who has until November 17 to respond.

Mr Reilly, who is not anti-alcohol and enjoys the "occasional drop at home," said the problems caused by alcohol were well known but no one was doing anything about it.

Alcohol was a factor in a high proportion of crime, serious crashes and family violence in Northland. It had, however, also become a multimillion-dollar earner for supermarkets, he said.

He was not worried about the possibility of having to pay costs if he lost.

"Somebody has got to stand up and do something. If I have to be that somebody, so be it," he said.

"The community has the right to dictate what it will accept. The industry should play second fiddle, if at all."

He said the only vexatiousness was that he was threatening the company's profits, and his concerns were far from frivolous.

Mr Reilly is assisted by volunteer Jane Johnston, a former council employee, and has the backing of a number of Kaikohe residents, 300 of whom signed his petition calling for tighter alcohol restrictions.

The saga began in 2012 when the government passed the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act amid concerns about the proliferation of liquor outlets in parts of the country.

The new law gave councils the power to set restrictions by setting a Local Alcohol Policy (LAP).

The Far North District Council received 91 submissions and drafted an LAP that, among other things, restricted off-licence sales of alcohol to 9am-10pm instead of the default times of 7am-11pm. The LAP also proposed banning new liquor outlets within 100m of schools, childcare facilities and churches.

In Whangarei, where 254 submissions were received, the proposal was more restrictive, with off-licence sales limited to 9am-9pm and a moratorium on new bottle stores.

Appeals against the Whangarei proposal were lodged by Progressive, Foodstuffs and Super Liquor. An appeal hearing is expected some time next year.

Progressive did not return calls for comment.