Local Alcohol Policy Development and Research

1. Local Alcohol Policy Development and Research Hauraki District Council Discussion Group 24 May 2013 CharanMischewski- Policy Analyst

2. What is a Local Alcohol Policy (LAP)? • A set of policy criteria and decisions made by Council and the community about the sale and supply of alcohol in the Hauraki District • Decision makers must take LAP into consideration when making decisions • Help decision makers better meet the Object of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act, 2012

3. The Object of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act (The Act) • “the sale, supply, and consumption of alcohol should be undertaken safely and responsibly; and the harm caused by the excessive or inappropriate consumption of alcohol should be minimised” • Goal of LAP is to reduce alcohol related harm

4. Drafting a LAP • Must develop draft LAP in consultation with Police, licensing inspectors and Medical Officers of Health • When drafting LAP Council must “have regard to” – specific list of matters in section 78(2) of the Act • District Plan, number and location of licensed premises in the District, liquor ban areas, the District residents and visitors, and the nature and severity of alcohol-related problems arising in the District.

5. Research Literature Review • The cumulative findings of research indicate that in New Zealand about half of drinkers under 25 years, and about 25 % of all adult drinkers, drink large quantities when they drink. • The Ministry of Health defines ‘a large amount of drinking’ for a man as more than six standard drinks in one session, and for a woman, as more than four standard drinks in one session

6. Literature Review Continued... • Connection between liquor outlet density and harm and neighbourhood degradation • Density of off-licensed premises more likely to lead to price cutting and prevalence of ‘pre-loading’ • Longer trading hours • The risk of violence increases strongly with heavy drinkers

7. Liquor Licenses • 64 liquor licenses issued in the Hauraki District • Paeroa has 35.9% (29)of all licenses in the District and Waihi has 25% (16) • Same number of on-licenses but Paeroa has nearly double the number of off-licenses than Waihi • The Hauraki District has a population of approximately 18,750 but has a greater number of off-licenses than other similar sized Districts in the WDHB region

8. Social deprivation and location of licensed premises

9. Alcohol related Crime • Most common place for offenders to have consumed there last drink in the District is at a residence or in public • Apart from ‘miscellaneous’ the least common place for offenders to have consumed their last drink is at a licensed premises • Hauraki District has higher average of dwelling assaults per 10,000 population than national average

10. 1476 Alcohol-related offences

11. What can be included in a LAP? • location of licensed premises referencing broad areas • proximity to premises of a particular kind • proximity to facilities • whether more licences or kinds of licences are to be issued in an area • maximum trading hours • discretionary conditions • one-way door restrictions • must NOT include matters not relating to licensing i.e. legal age limit

12. Proximity to Facilities • 'Facilities' is not defined in the Act. • limits on the location of licensed premises by reference to their proximity to education facilities such as early childhood centres, kindergartens, schools or tertiary education establishments, places of worship, sports facilities, community centres or any other facilities as defined by Council

13. Trading hours • Under previous Council Policy- • On and Off-licensed premises trading hours: 7am to 1am the following day unless in close proximity to a residential dwelling. • Club licence: 8am to 1am the following day. • Default maximum national trading hours- On-licence or Club licence: 8am on any day and 4am on the next day Off-licence: are the hours between 7am and 11pm on the same day

14. One-way door restriction • During the hours of the restriction no person is to be admitted (or re-admitted) into the premises unless he or she is an exempt person; and no person who has been admitted (or re-admitted) into the premises while the restriction applies is to be sold or supplied with alcohol • stop migration from one licensed premises to another

15. LAP Questionnaire Results • 439 surveys returned to Council • 58% of Paeroa respondents think there are far too many off-licensed premises in Paeroa, whereas 63% think there are about the right number of on-licensed premises • Majority of respondents believe licensed premises should not be able to sell alcohol until 10am or later • 85% - 86% agreed premises which sell alcohol should be restricted from opening near community facilities • 80 % support one-way door policies

16. What does this mean for licencees? • Decision makers must “have regard to” LAP when deciding to issue or renew a licence BUT for renewals • must not take into account inconsistency with LAP when deciding whether or not to renew • may impose conditions • One way door policies and new trading hours will apply • Changes to one-way door policies and trading hours take effect 3 months after LAP adoption

17. Adoption of a LAP by Council • Council will ask for submissions to the draft LAP during the 30 day submission period in July • Council will hold a Hearing of Submissions • After the Hearing Council may make changes to the draft LAP • After 18 December 2013 Council can give public notice of a provisional policy (it is then open to appeal) • Provisional policy “adopted” 30 days after publically notified (or after any appeals resolved) =Active LAP

18. Where does that leave us today? • Earliest a LAP can come into effect is January 18 2014 • Council want your input into the policy-making process