Source: Radio New Zealand
Lake Taupō 123rf
The owner of a sailing club in Taupō says eased alcohol restrictions on public holidays will make the rules more straightforward.
Legislation to ease alcohol restrictions over Easter, Anzac Day, and Christmas passed its third and final reading at Parliament on Wednesday.
The bill amends the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act to allow premises that are already open on Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Anzac Day morning, and Christmas Day to sell alcohol under normal licence conditions.
Bottle shops will still have to stay closed, and supermarket alcohol restrictions remain. The bill passed 66 votes to 56.
Two Mile Bay Sailing Club owner Torben Landl told Morning Report it was a fantastic result for the hospitality sector.
“It’s been pretty tough times out there and this is exactly what we need.”
He said Easter was a big weekend for hospitality and it would be great to be able to trade normally and capitalise on the long weekend.
He said the rules could be “problematic”.
“So a customer will turn up on Good Friday, they’ll order a couple of drinks, alcoholic drinks, and then our team will have to explain the liquor licence laws and […]usually that doesn’t go down very well with the majority of customers.”
He said workers were copping the brunt of it and the law change would make the rules less complicated.
Labour MP Kieran McAnulty, who put forward the bill, said it would also clear up the guesswork for hospitality staff in deciding what was a “substantial” meal to serve before someone could purchase alcohol, by removing the requirement entirely.
“What is even more ridiculous is that actually they’re not required to eat the meal. They’re only required to purchase it, and it can sit there while they drink, and it could also be argued that they can go and buy another substantial meal in order to keep drinking. That doesn’t make sense. This bill clears that up,” he said.
The ACT party voted as a bloc in support, while all New Zealand First and Green MPs opposed the bill.
MP Kahurangi Carter said the Greens had a long history of fighting for alcohol harm reduction laws, and believed the entire Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act needed to be overhauled.
New Zealand First MP David Wilson said he valued using those holidays for remembrance and reflection.
McAnulty told RNZ before the third reading, he was hopeful it could get Royal Assent on Thursday, so it could be law before the long weekend.
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
