This page contains information about liquor licensing and an outline of Council's role as District Licensing Agency.
Updated:
3/10/2013 2:10 p.m.
Changes to the liquor licensing laws
The sale and supply of alcohol to the public is governed by the Sale of Liquor Act 1989 and a new act, the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012.
The new act will replace the Sale of Liquor Act from 19 December 2013, but some of the new rules will affect applicants for liquor licences and the renewal of liquor licences now.
If you want to sell and supply alcohol as a business, club or for a special event, you must hold the appropriate liquor licence.
Applying for a Liquor Licence
Council's role
Council is a District Licensing Agency under the Sale of Liquor Act 1989. As an Agency, we are the judicial authority and receive and process all applications for liquor licences in the district while issuing non-contested applications. Contested applications go to the Liquor Licensing Authority in Wellington for issue.
We also appoint Liquor Licensing Inspectors to report on applications and inspect licensed premises to manage the sale of alcohol properly.
One of the changes in the new act will be to replace the Agency with a new Licencing Committee which will determine all applications whether contested or not.
The requirements for licences and the criteria the Agency (and the new Licensing Committee) consider in granting them are incorporated in the legislation and the Whangarei District Licensing Agency Liquor Licensing Policy.
Liquor Licensing Policy
We work along side the Police, Fire Service and Northland Health on strategies to minimise the harm caused by alcohol abuse.
Our policy has been developed and adopted through a special consultative process to allow all people in the community to have a say on how alcohol is sold in the district. The policy provides for important community issues such as licensing hours and how liquor licensing enforcement will be undertaken.
For further information about our Liquor Licensing Policy and to view the full version of it, follow the link below.
Liquor Licensing Policy
Liquor bans
To ensure safe and welcoming public places such as our beaches and parks, there are areas in the district where liquor bans are in place.
Our Liquor Management Bylaw contains a schedule of these areas and accompanying maps.
To view details, follow the link below.
Liquor Management Bylaw