The "More Than Just a Fashion Show" charity event to raise awareness of mental health was granted a one-off liquor licence by Dunedin’s district licensing committee yesterday, despite opposition from police and the licensing inspector over the links between alcohol consumption and suicide.
The event rose to national prominence after Gumboot Friday founder and mental health advocate Mike King weighed in, telling NewstalkZB opposition to the licence was "ridiculous" and "classic overreach".
He went on to claim that "alcohol is not a problem for people with mental health issues. It’s actually the solution to our problem".
His comments have since been labelled "really unhelpful" by the Drug Foundation and the Labour Party has called on the government to pause its funding of Gumboot Friday.
Event organiser Tegan Rose Vickery said Mr King had his own views and what he was saying had "nothing to do" with her or tonight’s show.
"The show is to help show my work, my journey and to show other people that I’ve been on that edge, and there is a way off that edge."
The show, which is scheduled for today in the Wall Street Mall, was organised by the Otago Polytechnic student to "shine the light" on those working in the mental health sector.
All profits raised would be donated to the Life Matters Suicide Prevention Trust, she said.
Limited amounts of alcohol, free water and a continuous food service will be supplied at the event.
Ms Vickery said she was very happy with the committee’s decision, but it would not have been a "be-all, end-all" if the licence application was rejected.
She totally agreed and understood where the police and licensing inspector were coming from in their opposition, but questioned the degree to which her event had been scrutinised.
"If they wanted to scrutinise my event so badly, then they need to start doing that with other events, too.
"It shouldn’t matter how big or small the event is — everyone should be treated equally across the board."
A part of her wondered whether her event had been scrutinised because she was a student, and if the police thought it had been a student party, she said.
She was "a tad disappointed" the event had turned from being about mental health awareness to liquor licensing issues and alcohol problems. Alcohol had not been part of its promotion, Ms Vickery said.
In opposing the licence, alcohol harm prevention officer Sergeant Steve Jones previously said it would be "inappropriate and harmful" for an event raising money for suicide awareness to sell alcohol.
Sgt Jones said yesterday police acknowledged and respected the committee’s decision.
There was never any scrutiny on Ms Vickery personally and every licensing application police received was assessed on its own merits, he said.
Sgt Jones declined to comment on Mr King’s statements.
Life Matters Suicide Prevention Trust manager Clare Curran said the trust was happy the matter had been resolved, and it continued to support the event and its kaupapa.
The trust expected any event raising funds for it would be well organised and appropriately managed, and it would approach every event that involved alcohol on a case-by-case basis, Ms Curran said.
She did not support Mr King’s comments, she said.
Committee chairman Colin Weatherall said, after the hearing, the amount of publicity and the issues around the event were "disproportionate to the risk that the event raised".
While he had total respect for Mr King and his projects, including I Am Hope, he was not a submitter to the committee’s programme, Mr Weatherall said.
"And it would be fair to say, quite bluntly, we’re not affected by media pressure.
"The committee is focused on the submissions in front of it, the presentations given, and that’s where we limit ourselves."
