Waipā District Council has been asked to relax its alcohol ban plan at Lake Arapuni campsites.
Waka at Bulmer’s Landing
Reacting to Waipa District Council’s draft alcohol policy and bylaw Te Awamutu and Kihikihi Community Board chair Ange Holt called for the council to relax the rules at Arapuni and Bulmer’s Landing campsite where an 8pm to 8am permanent alcohol ban is in place.
Public submissions on the policy close at 5pm today (Thursday).
“Loads of people are there over the summer, sitting there having a drink, not causing any bother, it’s daylight saving,” Holt said at the August board meeting.
“They’d often be sat there having a drink after 8 o’clock, not causing any bother, and it’s going to mean that they’re having an illegal drink while they are there camping.”
Angela Holt
Holt said she also understood there was a “really big problem with the clowns that go out there”.
Deputy chair Kane Titchener spoke in favour of retaining the 12-hour ban.
“It will discourage people going out there and having bonfire parties and doing whatever they like.”
Board member Jill Taylor was disappointed the council had ignored the community’s wish in its draft to reduce off-licence opening hours from the current 7am until 10pm.
“Everybody had a different time,” Taylor said.
Feedback included 7am until 9pm, 8am until 9pm, and 8am until 10pm.
“I would just like it recorded that I feel that members of the public weren’t heard. I know there were reasons. The supermarkets were asked how they felt about it.
Taylor suggested Waipa supermarkets should be banned from selling alcohol all together in May and gained support from The Salvation Army.
Holt asked graduate Strategic Policy adviser Mieke Heyns for the reason why the council didn’t listen to the feedback and incorporate it into the draft.
“The feedback, to be fair, was pretty even, a little bit all over the show, but the reduction of hours came out on top, just in terms of numbers,” said Heyns.
“The main reasoning, if I remember it correctly, for keeping the current hours was that councillors believed that there was not that much problem with the current hours. It’s worked so far, and then the difficulty for the supermarkets to manage that reduction when it doesn’t line up with their opening hours.”
Camped at Bulmer’s Landing
Holt said she had consulted with off licenses who tended to open at 8am, rather than 7am.
“They were quite supportive of having shorter hours,” she said.
“They said that if they have trouble, it’s that last hour between 9pm and 10pm.”
Taylor said: “The supermarkets over Covid didn’t sell alcohol and they managed fine. So, they can do it if they have to.”
Holt asked if others supported reducing hours.
“I haven’t seen enough information about it,” her deputy chair replied.
“I don’t think it would make any difference, if you’re an alcoholic you’re going to get your booze anyway,” said board member Sally Whitaker. “I’m quite happy with it.”
Board member John Wood agreed with Whitaker.
Holt suggested they leave it.
“We’re here for the community, and they were saying they don’t want the same hours,” Taylor reminded them. “I just want it recorded in the minutes that I don’t agree with it.”
Bulmer’s Landing, looking across to Jones’ Landing
