Alcohol is part of everyday life in Aotearoa – whether it be bars, bottle stores, or supermarkets selling alcohol – it’s highly visible and widely available.
Alcohol availability is regulated, meaning there are rules and regulations around where and how it can be sold. So, who makes those decisions? And how can communities have a say?
One way is through Alcohol Objections. When businesses apply for an alcohol licence, communities have the opportunity to voice any concerns they have through these objections.
How does Alcohol Licensing work?
When a business wants to sell alcohol, they must apply for an alcohol licence.
Licence applications are submitted to the District Licensing Committee (DLC), and reviewed by three key groups, known as Agencies:
- A Licensing Inspector
- A Medical Officer of Health
- The Police
These agencies prepare reports and recommendations for the DLC to consider. They can choose to oppose an application. Reasons for agencies to oppose an application could include concerns about:
- Risk of increased alcohol-related harm in the area
- Trading hours
- Staff training
How do communities find out about Licence Applications?
Many licence applications must be publicly notified.
Public notification ensures that people who may be affected by a proposed licence have the chance to learn about the application and decide whether they’d like to respond through an alcohol objection.
Once a notice has been publicly notified, communities have 25 days to submit an objection. This is usually the only formal opportunity to have a say on a specific licensing decision.
What is an Alcohol Objection?
An alcohol objection is a formal way to raise concerns about alcohol licence applications before a decision is made.
Objections allow local knowledge and community perspectives to be considered by decision-makers alongside information from the Applicant and the Agencies.
Who can Object?
People who Object, also known as Objectors, must have greater interest in the application than the public generally.
This can include people who:
- Live near the proposed premises
- Work in the area
- Regularly use nearby community facilities
- Have strong connections to the locality and/or community
Community organisations, schools, marae, health services, and other groups may also submit objections.
What Concerns can be raised in Objections?
Objections can include a range of concerns relevant to the licensing decision, including:
- Existing levels of alcohol-related harm in the area
- Existing number of alcohol outlets in the area
- The location of the proposed premises
- The proximity of the premises to schools, parks, marae, daycares, or other community spaces
- The potential impact on neighbourhood safety
Strong objections are supported by local knowledge, community experience, and evidence – explaining how the proposed licence may affect the surrounding area.
What happens after an Objection is submitted?
Community objections are considered by the DLC alongside the licence application and the agency reports.
In some cases, a public hearing may be held. Hearings provide an opportunity for the applicant, objectors, and the agencies to present and speak to their views in further detail.
Following the hearing, the DLC will either:
- Grant the licence
- Decline the licence
- Grant the licence with some conditions
Example: A new bottle store is proposed near a school and sports fields. Local residents submit objections raising concerns about existing alcohol-related harm in the area and the number of nearby alcohol outlets.
The District Licensing Committee considers those concerns alongside reports from the Police, Medical Officer of Health, and Licensing Inspector before making a decision on the application.
Do Objections make a difference?
Objections play an important role in alcohol licensing and are often the only opportunity for community input in specific licence applications.
While objections don’t always result in an application being declined, they bring local knowledge and lived experience into the decision-making process.
Alcohol objections give communities a formal opportunity to raise concerns about specific licence applications before a decision is made.