Liquor ban changes for city

Significant changes to Wellington’s liquor bans will be considered.

A plea from Kilbirnie businesses for a ban to help tackle drinking, fighting and aggressive begging has been heard by Wellington City councillors – contrary to council advice.

And councillors will also consider a ban to curb congregations of drunk university students in Kelburn, which it’s alleged Victoria University has intentionally failed to address.

Councillors voted yesterday to extend a liquor ban into Mt Victoria’s Majoribanks, Brougham and Ellice streets, and remove a ban over Centreport land.

Kilbirnie presented a contentious issue for councillors.

A community of street drinkers have made the eastern suburb’s main shopping street home in recent years, leaving local businesses desperate for a means to address this anti-social behaviour.

Council staffers said the ‘‘high levels of alcohol-related crime and disorderly behaviour’’ didn’t meet the legal threshold for a ban, and recommended further community based programmes.

Yet many councillors supported a ban and over-ruled the advice, voting to consult with the community.

Eastern ward councillor Simon Marsh said council had let down the community by neglecting the issue in recent years.

He asked councillors to consult with the community, alongside advancing the community based initiatives.

Councillor Brian Dawson said the problems in Kilbirnie were dominated by mental health and addiction issues. ‘‘We know that simply banning alcohol will not touch those issues at all.’’

Both councillors Andy Foster and Iona Pannett said previous expansions of the ban, from the CBD into Newtown, only shifted the problem.

‘‘We know it’s going to displace, so why are we going to do it again?’’ Pannett said.

University students drinking at Kelburn Park – disrupting the peace of neighbouring residents – had also attracted the suggestion of an alcohol ban.

Councillors were broadly frustrated at Victoria University, alleging intentional inaction to force the problem onto a council park, and voted to consult with the community on a ban.

Victoria University of Wellington Student Association chief executive Matthew Tucker said a ban on drinking at Kelburn Park would push the issue into darker corners of the suburb, which posed a risk.

‘‘The problem currently is that drinking in town is unaffordable. They are leaving halls and they are using this space ... a controlled environment is probably better than an uncontrolled environment.’’

Dawson said the university, which strictly enforced its campus ban on drinking, was using the council-owned Kelburn Park as a ‘‘holding pen’’ for drinking students.

It was a shame the university didn’t front the meeting, he said.

A liquor ban prohibits public alcohol consumption, allowing police to instantly fine someone $250 for carrying an open vessel.

‘‘We know that simply banning alcohol will not touch those issues at all.’’ Wellington City councillor Brian Dawson