Good Friday, Easter alcohol sales may be freed up at last minute. Photo / 123RF
By Giles Dexter of RNZ
Some restrictions on Good Friday and Easter Sunday alcohol sales could be gone as soon as this long weekend.
A member’s bill from Labour MP Kieran McAnulty would amend the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act to allow premises that are already open on Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Anzac Day morning, and Christmas Day to sell alcohol under normal licence conditions.
Currently, bars or restaurants can only sell alcohol if the patron is “residing or lodging” on the premises, or “present on the premises to dine”.
McAnulty said the legislation would clear up a “confusing law” that had been in place for a long time.
“Just because something’s always been that way doesn’t mean that that’s a good reason to keep it,” he said.
The general requirement is that patrons have to order a “substantial meal”, but McAnulty said that was not defined, and patrons were not required to eat it anyway.
“That is a bit of a farce of a situation. So all we’re doing is clearing it up that those businesses that are already able to operate anyway can do so under normal conditions, and those that can’t, like off-licences and supermarkets, they remain restricted, but for those on-licences that are already operating, they can do so normally.”
The bill is up for its third reading today. Exactly when depends on other legislation scheduled to be debated first.
If the bill passes, it is possible it may receive Royal Assent tomorrow, in time for Good Friday.
McAnulty said the timing was a “sticking point,” but as some Government bills were scheduled to receive Royal Assent on Thursday, he was hopeful his could be included alongside those.
“It’s quite fortuitous timing, I think, the way that it’s played out. And really, we’re at the mercy and availability of Her Excellency, and I’m not of a mind to flick a text to the Governor-General and ask for a solid, so I’m quite happy with the way that it’s played out, and hopefully it does follow through.”
Parliament treats alcohol legislation as a conscience matter, meaning MPs vote according to their personal view or what they think is best for their electorate or community, rather than as a party bloc.
It means some of McAnulty’s own Labour colleagues may choose to oppose his bill, but the MP was optimistic he had the numbers across the House to pass.
McAnulty’s original intent was to allow any premises that were allowed to operate on those public holidays to sell alcohol, which would have included supermarkets but not bottle shops.
But he said it was changed to keep things simple, and only apply it to on-licence venues.
“It’s proven to be the right decision, because we’ve maintained enough support in Parliament,” he said.
“I know that if we’d stuck with off-licences or supermarkets, there are people that would have withdrawn their support, and it probably wouldn’t have passed.”
An amendment proposed by Act MP Cameron Luxton has been adopted into the bill.
Luxton’s amendment means bars can open after midnight on Anzac and Easter holidays. McAnulty said that was consistent with the intention of the bill, and he was happy to support it.
“I know that the hospitality businesses in Christchurch are very happy about that, because when their stadium opens and people leave, they won’t have to then be kicked out of the hospitality businesses at midnight because it’s Anzac Day the following day.”
McAnulty, a Catholic, was less concerned with religious opposition to the bill, but understood why people might be opposed on health grounds.
“It’s a valid concern, but because the bill only targets those on-licensed premises that are already able to operate, it’s actually not going to expand the number of premises that can provide alcohol. It just means they don’t have to jump through these ridiculous hoops in order to be able to do it.”
This is not the only piece of legislation that would liberalise alcohol trading laws to pass through Parliament this term.
The Government is working through its own piece of legislation to allow restaurants with on-site retail spaces to sell take-home alcoholic beverages, if they also sell takeaway food or non-alcoholic beverages prepared by the business.
Luxton’s own member’s bill to repeal alcohol restrictions on Good Friday and Easter Sunday was voted down at first reading in 2024.
Another bill by National’s Stuart Smith to allow winery cellar doors to charge visitors for samples and add off-licence categories for wineries holding an on-licence passed successfully through the House in 2024.
-RNZ