A charitable liquor trust may be set up in Queenstown, potentially partly funded through the police diversion scheme.
A report to the Queenstown Lakes District Council, prepared by regulatory and corporate manager Lee Webster, said the council had been working with stakeholders over several years and had established a working party to identify liquor-related issues in the community.
"This group has been working together to determine preventive rather than reactive measures, with common aim to reduce liquor-related violence and harm in the community."
The initial project for the group was the introduction of "Bar Safe" on September 9.
Under the initiative, security staff at CBD bars wear high-visibility vests and communicate by radio with other door staff about patrons who have been refused entry or asked to leave bars.
The operation, in place from midnight to 4am, had already proven effective, with the "impression of an increased level of enforcement" found to change behaviour in a "positive manner", Mr Webster said.
However, the working party had identified several more initiatives that might benefit the community - and "all require funding".
Mr Webster said that, in an attempt not to "burden ratepayers", the group had tried to source funding from third parties such as Hospitality New Zealand.
To access that funding, it was necessary to establish a charitable trust, he said.
"If a charitable trust is formed, it may also be possible for this trust to be included on a list of charities for individuals who have received diversion for offences in our community (especially liquor-related offences), to select this trust as the recipient for the funding.
"This provides the ability for the money to be invested back into our community through other liquor-related projects."
The diversion process enables first-time offenders who meet certain criteria to pay an amount of money to a charity.
By doing so, they can avoid having a conviction entered against their name.
Mr Webster said the council's lawyers had agreed to prepare the necessary documentation to form a charitable trust at no cost to the proposed trust.
The council will discuss the matter on Tuesday.
