Under- 16s banned in festival liquor rule
The first Auckland Laneway Festival in four years has been granted a liquor licence — despite opposition from police, the Auckland Council and health authorities — on the condition it does not allow concert- goers aged under 16 into its new home at Western Springs Stadium.
Police, a council licensing inspector and a public health official opposed the licence application in its initial form, necessitating a hearing before the Auckland District Licensing Committee on Tuesday.
The committee did not receive a single objection from members of the public, though it was not publicly notified.
Next year, the Waitangi Day music festival will for the first time allow under- 18s to attend. This proved controversial with inspectors and police, who expressed concerns about the exposure of young people to booze.
Veteran Auckland music promoter and event manager Campbell Smith, manager of Laneway 2024, told the hearing the event was all- ages but recommended for people aged 16 and over.
After a day- long hearing, the committee indicated it would be open to a compromise whereby it would grant a licence on the provision under- 16s were not allowed in.
“We’ve probably made everybody unhappy here,” chairwoman Marguerite Delbet said.
Yesterday the committee issued its decision, granting the licence on the proviso signs were posted saying intoxicated punters and minors under 16 were not allowed on site.
The licence mandates no more than two serves of alcohol per person per transaction, and certain areas of the festival will be restricted, meaning no under- 18s.
John Young, lawyer for St Jerome’s Laneway NZ, expressed some frustration at what he described as the agencies’ unwillingness to engage with Smith’s experience in running large events.
Young said Smith, who ran the Big Day Out festivals, believed 16- and 17- year- olds who wanted to see acts deserved to have that experience.
Smith said they had sold about 14,300 tickets and 500 of those were to under- 18s.
Tickets are priced from $ 212.90 for the event headlined by British rapper Stormzy and US artists Steve Lacy and Dominic Fike.