Opposition to new liquor store
‘‘I have greater access to alcohol than to fresh food.’’
Dozens of people are publicly objecting to a proposed new liquor store in South Auckland.
Super Liquor Great South Road would be located at 743 Great South Rd in Papatoetoe.
Its opponents are concerned at the number of liquor stores in the area and argue the site is too close to schools and on the same site as a proposed petrol station.
The store is less than 470 metres from two existing liquor outlets. Papatoetoe Intermediate School is about 400m away.
The medical officer of health initially opposed the application on the grounds the site is a shared location with a proposed petrol station, which contravenes the law.
Its opposition was retracted when the applicant detailed plans to separate the two premises by a fence. Police do not oppose the application.
Jasmine Kovach is among those who spoke against the application at a recent Auckland District Licensing Committee hearing.
She lives near the site of the proposed liquor store and says there’s ‘‘booze on every corner’’ of her community.
‘‘We have too many liquor outlets … so why do we need another? Other suburbs don’t have the same proliferation.
‘‘We have them all over the place. I have greater access to alcohol than to fresh food.’’
An Auckland Council spokesman says there are no laws or bylaws regulating how many liquor outlets can operate in an area or how close they can be to schools.
Mayoral candidate Phil Goff says he supports restricting opening hours of off-licences and control over their location.
‘‘I also support strong sanctions against on-licences which don’t meet their obligations of host responsibility and offlicences that sell to underage and intoxicated people.’’
Mayoral candidate Vic Crone says South Auckland communities don’t want more liquor stores.
She says if a bylaw is going to be applied to alcohol, ‘‘we need to ensure communities have the resources and support behind them to make sure it works for their specific circumstances’’.
‘‘The best thing we can do is power-up local boards and their communities ... to argue their cases and collect the right evidence.’’ A decision on the application is due in early October.