Comment permalink

The organiser of Gibbston's summer concert on January 21 is fighting for concert patrons to be permitted to buy more than five times the amount of alcohol listed in a national guideline for events.

Dean Calvert, of Greenstone Entertainment Ltd Partnership, appeared before the District Licensing Committee in Queenstown yesterday after the company's application for a special licence was opposed by police, Public Health South and the Queenstown Lakes District Council.

That was based on the amount of alcohol an individual could potentially buy in a single transaction - four cans of beer or cider and one 750ml bottle of wine; and stopping the sale of unopened cans of beer and cider at 2.30pm.

Agency representatives told the committee the national guidelines for such events was two standard drinks in a single transaction.

They said allowing the purchase of almost 12 alcohol units at once would encourage excessive consumption and selling unopened cans posed a risk of people ''stockpiling'' alcohol.

But Mr Calvert strenuously disagreed. The national guidelines were not prescriptive and at this year's concert, attended by more than 15,000 people - there were minimal incidents. A total of 6046 750ml bottles of wine were sold, along with 35,964 cans of cider and beer.

He did not believe there were issues with stockpiling, arguing selling alcohol in open cans from 10.30am would likely do more to encourage intoxication than the alternative.

Public Health South Medical Officer of Health Dr Derek Bell told the committee he had ''no idea'' there were almost 12 standard drinks being bought at a time at last summer's event and believed if the committee allowed it to continue, it would set a precedent.

''This is a significant deviation from [the guidelines and previous decisions]. I would say there is significant alcohol-related harm associated with that sort of consumption level.''