The Government needs to hear the voice of the entire Queenstown community when it considers the biggest changes in more than 20 years to liquor-licensing laws in New Zealand.
That was the plea by Lee Webster, Lakes Environmental regulatory and corporate manager, at a Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) community services committee meeting on Tuesday.
Mr Webster urged councillors to lodge submissions representing the views of 12 Queenstown parties, including Queenstown police, the Queenstown Chamber Of Commerce and Queenstown regional members of the New Zealand Hotel Council.
Mr Webster said the Alcohol Reform Bill was the "most major change to liquor-licensing laws in New Zealand in over 20 years".
"Taking a strong role in the submission process gives council the opportunity to have its say in how the proposed changes would affect our community.
"With Queenstown being at the forefront of the tourism industry, it is believed that such consensus between what are often quite disparate perspectives should give these submissions considerable weight," he said.
The area in which the council and the community can have the greatest input is local alcohol policy.
"Having a policy will enable council to determine local trading hours, through public consultation, which may exceed or restrict the national trading hours," Mr Webster saidIf a local alcohol policy is not adopted, the proposed nationwide trading hours for on- and off-licence premises will apply - 8am to 4am for on-licence, and 7am to 11pm for off-licence.
The formation of a council working party comprised of Cr Cath Gilmour, Cr John Mann (subject to approval) and Cr Simon Stamers-Smith will be recommended at a QLDC meeting on December 17.
• The closing date for Bill submissions is February 18.
The Alcohol Reform Bill
On August 23, the Government accepted in full or part, 113 of the 153 recommendations from a Law Commission report - proposed provisions include increased penalties for infringements, changes to liquor ban criteria and split purchasing age for on- and off-licences.
