We may need cap on bottle stores

The news last week that three new liquor stores may be setting up shop in Wanganui is further proof of the merit in the old saying that you should be careful what you wish for, as you may well just get it.

There's been no shortage of people bemoaning the lack of new businesses willing to invest in Wanganui, particularly at a time where the city is suffering job losses through centralisation - the NZTA office closure and cutbacks at the Department of Conservation spring to mind.

But now there's a new central city bottle store under construction, and two others have applied for liquor licences.

If all three go ahead, they will bring money into the city economy and provide employment opportunities.

But the news is potentially something of a double-edged sword - three new bottle stores in a small city such as Wanganui provides a strong example of the clash between economic progression and social concern.

There is no doubt that while many people enjoy alcohol responsibly, it is also a factor in many of the social ills that beset modern society - from acts of violence, domestic or otherwise, and car crashes through to minor vandalism.

Look closely and there's a good chance alcohol is involved somewhere.

The Government has acknowledged the seriousness of the issue, through changes signalled in its Alcohol Reform Bill. However, it's testament to the many opinions swirling around the issue of alcohol that the bill has attracted criticism from some quarters for not going far enough.

Those keen to reap the economic benefits of three new alcohol outlets in Wanganui will be quick to shift the argument to one of responsibility, arguing that it is the individual's role to ensure they consume liquor sensibly and that enough limits are already placed on those businesses that sell alcohol.

Others will claim that more legislative restrictions are needed, an argument stemming from a "protect us from ourselves" mentality.

That's a path fraught with danger - rightly or wrongly, a sentiment that the general populace was sick of being told how to live is widely accepted as one of the factors in the downfall of the last Labour government.

However, District Licensing Agency inspector Doug Bonner's suggestion that Wanganui District Council could adopt a policy of limiting the number of liquor outlets in the city is one that warrants further examination.

It may be the closest we get to a compromise solution that benefits both business and the wider community.

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