Safer Whanganui is lobbying the Justice Minister to give local alcohol policies more teeth after the granting of a new licence has exceeded the limit for Whanganui. Photo / 123RF
Safer Whanganui is lobbying the Justice Minister to give local alcohol policies more teeth after the granting of a new licence has exceeded the limit for Whanganui. Photo / 123RF
Frustration over the "toothlessness" of Whanganui's local alcohol policy has prompted calls for a review of the law.
Now Whanganui mayor Hamish McDouall and eight district councillors have indicated they will sign a letter to the Justice Minister asking for local rules to be given more power.
Safer Whanganui chairwomanand district councillor Kate Joblin led a delegation to front Whanganui District Council's meeting this week and ask it to support its call for change.
The request comes after the Whanganui District Licensing Committee approved an application for a new off-licence facility - the 15th in the district - despite the council's local alcohol policy stating there can be only 14.
Lauren Tamehana is the manager of Safer Whanganui - a coalition of agencies tasked with promoting safety and reducing harm - and said the licensing committee was required to consider the views of the local alcohol policy but was not required to abide by it when making decisions.
"Safer Whanganui intends to write to [Justice Minister Kris Faafoi] to ask for local alcohol policies to be given more teeth, so they can be enforced like any other bylaw," Tamehana said.
Safer Whanganui chairwoman Kate Joblin said local alcohol policy needs to give the community an effective voice that cannot be overridden. Photo / File
Jay Rerekura of Ngā Tai O Te Awa Trust joined the delegation on Tuesday which included Tim Metcalfe of Jigsaw, Whanganui DHB chief executive Russell Simpson, Brent Lockyer of Fire and Emergency NZ and Carla Donson of the Whanganui Women's network.
"These are all people with considerable mana who want to minimise alcohol harm in our community," Joblin said.
She said rather than specifically taking exception to the 15th licence, the delegation was seeking a law change to give the community an effective voice and empower the local policy.
Jay Rerekura of Ngā Tai O Te Awa Trust said it has been frustrating to oppose alcohol licences only to have community voices ignored. Photo / File
"The current district licensing process is not working for our communities as it does not prioritise the community voice," Joblin said.
"When community members have managed to be included [at district licensing committee hearings] they are bombarded with a legal process that sets relative lay people up against the deep pockets of the alcohol industry."
Rerekura, who co-ordinates Community Action on Youth & Drugs (CAYAD), said reducing the availability of alcohol was essential to reducing harm.
"We are tearing our hair out in frustration so it doesn't bode well in terms of how powerless the general public must feel.
"The council invested time, resources, and money into developing a local alcohol policy but its voice is not heard."
McDouall said he understood the frustration of the Safer Whanganui coalition members.
After eight councillors raised their hands in support, the mayor said he would add his signature to the letter to the Minister on behalf of the council.
The Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 gives local councils the ability to put a local alcohol policy in place in their district but Joblin said the fact that the cap set by the local alcohol policy had been overridden by the latest district licensing committee decision meant that was ineffective.
