Alcohol licensing in Porirua

Alcohol licensing law in New Zealand is set by the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012. The object of the Act is that the sale, supply and consumption of alcohol should be undertaken safely and responsibly, and that the harm caused by excessive or inappropriate consumption of alcohol is minimised.

Key features of the Act include:

• Strengthening the rules around the types of stores eligible to sell alcohol
• Allowing local-level decision-making for all licence applications
• Increasing the ability of communities to have a say on local alcohol licensing matters
• Introducing maximum default trading hours for licensed premises
• Restricting supermarket and grocery store alcohol displays to a single area
• Requiring the express consent of a parent or guardian before supplying alcohol to a minor.

The Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 allows councils to develop local alcohol policies. A local alcohol policy (LAP) is a set of decisions made by a local authority in consultation with its community about the sale and supply of alcohol in its geographical area.

The aim of Porirua's LAP is to minimise alcohol-related harm in Porirua, reflect local communities’ character, amenity, values, preferences and needs, and to encourage licensed premises to foster positive and responsible drinking behaviours.

Key features of the Porirua Local Alcohol Policy

• Establish maximum trading hours for premises
• Identify sensitive sites and the proximity licensed premises are from sensitive sites.

Review of the Local Alcohol Policy - November 2023 onwards

We are currently in the research phase of the review and are gathering data on how alcohol affects our community.

As part of our review, we are very keen to listen to and work with our communities to get a better understanding of the impacts of alcohol in Porirua. So, to do this we are running some workshops with interested groups and organisations across Porirua.

If this sounds like something you and/or your wider organisation would be interested in, please get in contact with us.

Council staff are able to come to you to deliver the workshops or alternatively invite you to attend a community workshop hosted by Council.

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 04 237 1081

As well as Porirua's LAP, the Council also has an Alcohol Control Bylaw. The purpose of this Bylaw is to control the consumption and/or possession of alcohol in public places to reduce alcohol-related harm in the area.

Key features of the Alcohol Control Bylaw include:

• Defining what an alcohol ban is and how it is established into the community
• Establishing where alcohol ban areas in Porirua are
• Identifying who can enforce the bylaw and the potential consequences of breaching the bylaw.

A District Licensing Committee's functions are to consider and determine applications for:

• New licences and manager's certificates
• Renewals of licences and manager's certificates
• The temporary authority to carry on the sale and supply of alcohol
• The variation of licences.

The DLC also, where appropriate, refers applications, conducts inquiries and makes reports to the Licensing Authority (ARLA) when required.

Chair and Deputy Chair:

• Chairperson: Councillor Kylie Wihapi
• Deputy Chairperson: Councillor Mike Duncan

Appointed list members:

• Saar Cohen-Ronen for a period of five years from December 2020
• Nicole Moloney for a period of five years from December 2020
• Rachel Palu for a period of five years from December 2020
• Kevin Watson for a period of five years from December 2020
• Sandy Gill for a period of five years from December 2020.

• Porirua DLC Annual Reports
  • 2022/23
  • 2021/22
  • 2020/21
  • 2019/20
  • 2018/19
  • 2017/18
  • 2016/17
• Annual Report of Alcohol Licensing Income Costs
  • 2022/23
  • 2021/22
  • 2020/21
  • 2019/20
  • 2018/19
  • 2017/18