Chloe Swarbrick seeks Whanganui support for alcohol amendment bill

Auckland Central MP Chloe Swarbrick addressed Whanganui District Council on her bill to amend alcohol legislation. Photo / Tim Onnes

Green Party MP Chloe Swarbrick wants to support Whanganui's efforts to reduce alcohol harm in the community.

The Auckland Central MP addressed a Whanganui District Council meeting via video link on Tuesday to speak about her proposed members' bill on the sale and supply of alcohol and ask for the council's support.

Swarbrick told the meeting that if 61 or more non-executive members indicated support for a member's bill, it would be introduced without needing to be selected through the ballot.

The Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Harm Minimisation) Amendment Bill seeks to abolish appeals on local alcohol policies in order to provide more local control over alcohol regulation.

The council's Local Alcohol Policy (LAP) was introduced in 2019 and the strategy and finance committee voted in favour of retaining the policy last July.

That is despite the District Licensing Committee (DLC) overriding the policy by granting a new licence last year.

The Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 gives local councils the ability to put a local alcohol policy in place in their district and the Whanganui LAP stipulates a cap of 14 off-licence premises for the district however the DLC granted the 15th licence last year.

Swarbrick commended the council's efforts in introducing the LAP and the aim to minimise legal challenges from suppliers.

"You did get a lot further than Wellington, Hamilton, and Christchurch councils," she said.

Swarbrick said there was no current legislation to prevent the DLC from overriding the LAP regulations and her bill would address that loophole if it was passed.

The DLC's decision led to the Safer Whanganui coalition describing the LAP as "toothless" and the council supported its members in signing a letter to Justice Minister Kris Faafoi asking for local alcohol policies to be given more teeth, so they could be enforced like any other bylaw.

Faafoi had confirmed that a review of the act was scheduled within the current term of Parliament, however, Swarbrick said there had been no indication of the scope or the timing of the review.

Auckland councillors have voted in favour of supporting Swarbrick's bill and Whanganui councillors were to discuss the matter at Tuesday's meeting. However, as mayor Hamish McDouall and a number of councillors were attending the funeral of Whanganui artist and former district councillor Ross Mitchell-Anyon on Tuesday afternoon, the meeting was adjourned until 1pm on Wednesday, May 11.