Three more liquor bans

Existing liquor bans will continue to apply in public areas in towns throughout the Far North, following the Far North District Council’s adoption of a new bylaw.

The council has replaced its Public Places Liquor Control Bylaw 2003 with the new Alcohol Control Bylaw 2018, after a month-long community consultation exercise, which attracted 46 submissions.

Drinking or being in possession of alcohol in designated areas remains an offence under the new bylaw, while alcohol controls now apply at Paihia’s Lily Pond reserve and Tokerau Beach, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, between December 1 and January 31, and at Pukenui, including the wharf, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Mayor John Carter said allowing people to drink alcohol in public places could lead to alcohol-related harm, the bylaw giving the police a law enforcement tool to prevent crime and disorderly behaviour.

“Police can warn offenders, remove or dispose of their alcohol, serve them with infringement notices or arrest them and make them appear in court,” he said, although they were entitled to exercise discretion and common sense when deciding what action would be taken against those breached the bylaw.

“While people should comply with the bylaw, police judge each situation on its merits.”

The council was aware that some people considered blanket alcohol bans to be heavyhanded, but Mr Carter did not agree.

“We could just apply alcohol controls to a few streets, towns, or part of a beach or reserve. However, this would just move the problem of anti-social drinking to other areas,” he said.

Details of the new alcohol bylaw can be found at www.fndc.govt.nz.

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