Auckland's Alcohol Free Zones Undergo A Shakeup

Auckland’s liquor bans have undergone a shake-up as the regional council seeks to align with revised national standards. The new standards stipulate that liquor bans can only be implemented in areas where there is considerable evidence of past or present alcohol related harm. As of October 31, the number of prohibition areas across Auckland will drop from 1630 to 726 – well under half of the original liquor ban locations.

As new standards require solid evidence of harm, local councils called upon the Auckland community to collect evidence and contribute reports documenting alcohol related crime or disorder they have witnessed in their areas. Examples of collected evidence include photographs of broken bottles or reports on antisocial, aggressive or intimidating behaviours that disrupted the neighbourhood. More than 2000 submissions were received and gave council a bolstered impression of alcohol related issues blighting the city.

Breaking down the revised prohibition areas into numbers, of the 726 revised liquor ban areas, 508 have remained unchanged; 173 existing areas have been extended or combined into 93 larger areas; 118 existing locations have had prohibition times and boundaries extended; 7 new prohibition areas have been defined. Some of the lapsed ban areas, which lacked sufficient evidence, include Mt Wellington and domain, Pigeon Mountain and Mt Albert and surrounding park areas.

Of course, liquor regulations in parks and recreational areas across Auckland do not always mean a blanket ban. As we’ve now ticked into daylight savings, many areas allow alcohol to be consumed in public spaces up until 10pm, with the council itself recognising that alcohol “can form a positive aspect of enjoyment in our parks, beaches and other public spaces.” That’s plenty of time for an after work game of footy and celebratory beer, or a bottle of wine enjoyed with fish n’ chips in the park.

Auckland Council’s Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy was introduced in 2012 and liquor bans are just one weapon in the artillery, which includes regulatory and non-regulatory actions as well as communication and education efforts in the hopes of creating a safe and healthy city where there is minimal exposure to alcohol related harm. It’s all part of the wider pursuit of creating the world’s most liveable city - Auckland currently sits at #9 on the list, just behind a handful of Australian and Canadian cities.