The Dunedin City Council hearings subcommittee will consider submissions on the draft replacement of the local alcohol policy (LAP) tomorrow.
The draft LAP contains several proposed changes, including a condition for clubs deemed to have a high-risk of alcohol-related harm.
"It is proposed to make a discretionary condition that clubs are to have a certified manager present after 5pm or when the bar patronage reaches 50 people," the policy’s summary of information said.
Winter-code sports clubs had a higher risk of alcohol-related harm stemming from "the historic relationship between them and alcohol".
The District Licensing Committee would impose the condition based on the risk profile of the premises.
Dunedin Rugby Football Club chairman Cam Burrow had made a submission on behalf of the club and said the policy change would hamper clubs with unsustainable requirements.
"The risk is that if this policy goes ahead, clubs [might] have to start paying duty managers, which is a cost that volunteer clubs can’t really burden sustainably," Mr Burrow said.
He questioned what the council was trying to solve with the proposal and how its success would be measured.
"[They are] putting a regulation in place, which is going to make it tough for everyone, but what's the problem that we're trying to solve?"
The council should be working with clubs to identify key issues and find positive outcomes, he said.
"This is going to be a pain in the arse for clubs, and is it going to change the outcome? Probably not.
"Why don’t we try and address the actual issues rather than just put more regulation in place?"
West Taieri Rugby Football Club committee member Darryl MacKenzie had also submitted on the proposal and was concerned about the impact on clubs already struggling for volunteers.
"Clubs would need multiple people to be holding a licence because it’s unlikely you’d have one person who could be there every single time," he said.
Requiring more certified managers would add to club costs and closing the bars would impact the clubs’ funding.
"[If] you can’t open the bar, that detracts from the club environment and also from bottom line ... you need to find other ways of funding."
Alhambra-Union RFC also made a submission against the proposal.
