Unease over Taupo bar's ban on under-20s

A charitable trust that aims to prevent alcohol-related harm said today it was uncomfortable with a Taupo bar taking unilateral action to impose its own drinking age.

The Clubhouse bar has decided to ban anyone under 20 from drinking on its premises, even though the legal age limit is 18.

Alcohol Healthwatch wants the legal drinking age for licensed premises returned to 20, but director Rebecca Williams expressed unease at the Clubhouse's ban on 18 and 19-year-olds.

"Yes, I do have a bit of unease about it, given that that they are legally entitled to purchase alcohol," she said.

"Young people may end up going to places where youth drinking and intoxication is more prevalent and therefore will be exposed to an environment that is riskier."

She said what the bar's decision did show was that there were a number of licensed premises owners who didn't feel people were taking their drinking responsibly. "It's an interesting scenario to be happening here when we are hearing about the legal purchase age."

The drinking age has been the subject of debate this year, with the Sale of Liquor (Youth Alcohol Harm Reduction) Amendment Bill seeking to raise the minimum purchase age from 18 to 20 years.

One idea being considered by Parliament's law and order select committee is keeping the age at 18 for licensed premises, but raising it to 20 for alcohol being bought at an off-licence to take away.

Under licensing legislation, the holder of an on-licence was not obliged to serve liquor at any time or to any person, but that sub-section was subject to the Human Rights Act.

A Human Rights Commission spokeswoman said it was unlawful under the Act to discriminate against people on the basis of age in the supply of goods and services.

"That's the general rule, but there are always exceptions and the issues are dealt with on a case-to-case basis."

The commission would investigate only if it received a complaint.

The Clubhouse bar manager Gerald Morunga said there had been plenty of positive feedback on the ban, which came into effect over the weekend.

"More mature clientele don't want to go where there are kids making absolute idiots of themselves," he said.

Mr Morunga, who believed the drinking age should "definitely" be returned to 20, said older patrons had just as many rights as younger ones.

"The world doesn't revolve around 18 and 19-year-olds.

"What about the over 20-year-olds? Do they not have a right to go to a bar and just sit there, have a natter and listen to some nice quiet music?"

Hospitality Association chief executive Bruce Robertson said it appeared the bar had simply decided its target market was older than 20, but there were other options it could have adopted.

"If he sets his ambience, decor and entertainment accordingly, it will happen quite naturally without any issues in terms of human rights," he said.

"Most bars do that every day."

- NZPA