The claim came in a sometimes terse exchange between Dunedin alcohol harm prevention officer Sergeant Ian Paulin and Super Liquor director Patricia McCarthy.
Mrs McCarthy was at the hearing to argue for renewal of three off-licence premises, Super Liquor in Andersons Bay and Kaikorai Valley, and Quicker Liquor in George St.
But police, the medical officer of health and the Dunedin City Council opposed the renewal for a business that had been the subject of seven enforcement actions related to sales to minors, resulting in a suspension on each occasion.
At the hearing yesterday, before chairman Colin Weatherall and members Andrew Noone and Colin Lind, Mrs McCarthy was repeatedly pulled up for not directly answering questions.
At the heart of much of the evidence was concern Super Liquor had not sought industry training for its staff after telling the New Zealand Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority (Arla) last year it would.
McCarthy Enterprises was before Arla then after authorities called for the cancellation or suspension of its off-licence.
In its ruling of a 21-day suspension, less than requested by police, Arla noted the company was ''now seeking the assistance of industry experts''.
But the committee yesterday heard the company had used an online tool and a study document put together by a staff member.
Council licensing inspector Martine Cashell-Smith said Mrs McCarthy was asked about staff training in February, and explained the online tool ServeWise had been used.
Staff member Claudia Davidson, a law student, had provided a study document staff had also used.
In her evidence, Ms Cashell-Smith's said during visits to the company's outlets in Andersons Bay and the city, ''at no stage did I hear Mrs McCarthy give a response which indicated to me that she had engaged a reputable hospitality industry educator to provide workplace staff training to all staff''.
Sgt Paulin said he contacted all three training providers in Dunedin, but none had been used by Mrs McCarthy.
He said The Learning Place's Pieter van de Klundert had offered training, but was turned down.
Sgt Paulin said training had been ''lax and ineffective''.
Mrs McCarthy said she rang Mr van de Klundert, whom she used for training, and he told her he could help, but it would be something similar to the online tool staff were using.
He said the only option was for him to write something specifically for the company.
Mrs McCarthy acknowledged breaches in the past, but denied they had occurred because of lack of training.
Mr Weatherall said her company had made a commitment to a judge at the Arla hearing.
''What did you intend by that commitment?''
Mrs McCarthy said she assumed there was further training in place, but ''there wasn't''.
During questioning by Sgt Paulin, Mrs McCarthy was asked if she provided classroom-style training for staff. She said it was ''not practical when you're running a retail business''.
Sgt Paulin asked if she had asked any of the agencies, including the police or the council, about training, and she said she had.
''That's a complete and utter lie,'' Sgt Paulin responded.
Mr van de Klundert, called to provide evidence, said he could have provided a specific training course for off-licence premises to deal with the issues Mrs McCarthy faced.
He would have used ''face-to-face delivery'' for such a course.
The police and agencies re-iterated their opposition to the renewal, while Mrs McCarthy's counsel, Paul Buckner, said she was ''a suitable person to hold an off-licence''.
He said the Arla conditions ''fell short of being a directive of the authority''.
Mr Weatherall noted if his committee set conditions he would expect ''a high expectation of compliance''.
He adjourned the meeting, and promised some direction on its decision by September 1.
