On Monday, December 9, a change in Auckland’s alcohol regulations took effect; the new local alcohol policy prohibits bottle stores and supermarkets from selling alcohol after 9 PM.
Meanwhile, licensed bars and restaurants in the city centre will be permitted to sell alcohol until 4 AM, while those located outside the city centre can serve until 3 AM, provided their licenses allow for these hours. Additionally, sports clubs and Returned Services Associations (RSAs) will be able to sell alcohol until 1 AM if they hold the appropriate licenses.
Councillor Josephine Bartley, chair of the Regulatory and Safety Committee, stated that this milestone represents a major achievement in the effort to mitigate alcohol-related harm and reduce anti-social behaviour.
“This change has been a long time coming. Communities have been very clear that reducing the harm alcohol can cause to Aucklanders, their friends, and families truly matters to them,” Bartley said.
“There’s also a significant safety aspect to this. Across Tāmaki Makaurau, alcohol-related crime and disorder is at its worst between 9pm and 1am. Evidence suggests most alcohol in New Zealand is sold at off-licences and drunk at home or other public places. Preventing alcohol from being purchased late at night simply means it’s less accessible to be consumed during this time.”
Health New Zealand’s Medical Officer of Health, June Leung, highlighted the severe impact of alcohol consumption, attributing over 900 deaths and approximately 29,000 hospitalisations annually to alcohol-related issues.
Leung concluded that limiting the number of alcohol outlets and their trading hours can effectively reduce alcohol-related harms such as injuries, violence, and traffic accidents.
The Auckland Council unanimously approved the local alcohol policy in August 2024, and according to Bartley, “the policy has received a huge amount of public support. There was applause in the council chamber when it was adopted.”
Auckland Council’s general manager of policy, Louise Mason, said that the input from both businesses and the public was vital in developing a fair and balanced policy to reduce alcohol-related harm.
“We heard from businesses that supported this change during the policy’s consultation period,” Mason stated.
“Some were supportive of this change as it applies to all off-licences and so keeps things fair and can be safer for staff members that work late at night.”
“The changes under the local alcohol policy have been introduced in stages to give businesses and their customers time to prepare. We’ve been keeping businesses informed since the policy was adopted in August,” Mason added.
The new alcohol policy has received a range of responses from the public. While some individuals expressed that they were largely indifferent to the change, others felt it would have little impact on reducing alcohol-related harm. They argued that people might simply get pre-drunk, purchase alcohol earlier in the day, or shop at different times, suggesting that the policy won’t make much of a difference.