The Department of Conservation will introduce a liquor ban on all its land in Whangarei by the end of the year in a bid to arrest unruly behaviour.
The decision follows that of the Whangarei District Council which has approved an alcohol ban along the district's entire 270km-long
coastline on a trial basis for a year.
Exemptions may be granted for occasions such as beach weddings.
DOC area manager in Whangarei John Gardiner said the department's bylaw would give a clear message to people that over-indulgence of liquor would not be tolerated.
Mr Gardiner said DOC did not want a repeat of the dance rave last New Year's Eve when more than 2000 teenagers, many drunk, had to be stopped from entering DOC's Uretiti Beach campground.
"We don't want to deny campers from having a quiet little beer but any gathering where alcohol becomes an issue automatically becomes an offence [under the bylaw]," he said.
Mr Gardiner said it was the behaviour of people and not alcohol that was the issue.
He said penalties would vary but generally a $500 fine would be levied on anyone who breached the new bylaw.
At Tuesday's last Whangarei District Council meeting before the local body elections next week, Councillor Robin Lieffering moved a motion that DOC be approached to adopt a liquor ban on its land where applicable. The motion was passed.
But Sheryl Mai and Greg Martin opposed the council's beach liquor ban, saying people should be allowed to have quiet drinks on beaches. Mr Martin said the trial would be a waste of time because it would be impossible to police.
But Mayor Pamela Peters said the 12-month trial was the result of public opposition to irresponsible drinkers who breached the peace of others.
Mrs Peters said a similar ban in the central business district had proved to be a success.
A proposal for an alcohol restriction within 10m of sports fields was rejected by the councillors last week.
