Latest news with #SaleandSupplyofAlcoholAct
Scoop
6 days ago
- Health
- Scoop
Bottle Shops Caught Selling Alcohol To Minors
Article – Torika Tokalau – Local Democracy Reporter Eleven bottle shops and stores across Auckland have been caught selling booze to under-18s in the past bottle shops and stores across Auckland have been caught selling booze to under-18s in the past year. Black Bull Northcote, Simply Fresh in Hillcrest, Glengarry Ellerslie, Brew Royal Oak, Bottle O Mount Smart, Grand Food Mart in Orewa, Kowhai Liquor Centre at Warkworth, Wine and Spirits in Flat Bush, Forrest Hill Liquor Centre, Favona Liquor Wholesale and Unsworth Liquor – had their licences to sell alcohol suspended briefly for breaching the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012. The stores were caught during several controlled purchase operations conducted by Auckland Council's Alcohol Licensing Unit, police and the Auckland Regional Public Health Service, from last May to date. Auckland Council manager of licensing and environmental health Mervyn Chetty said there were clear expectations that anyone granted an alcohol licence will follow the rules. 'Selling alcohol to a minor is against the law,' Chetty said. 'It puts young people at serious risk of alcohol related harm including injuries and accidents.' Glengarry Ellerslie, Brew Royal Oak, Kowhai Liquor Centre, Black Bull Northcote, Wine and Spirits, Forrest Hill Liquor Centre, Favona Liquor Wholesale and Unsworth Liquor were suspended for 48 hours. Bottle O Mt Smart was suspended for 72 hours in March, while Simply Fresh in Hillcrest and Grand Food Mart in Orewa were handed seven day suspensions in April and January respectively. Another off-licence, Good to Go in the central district, was suspended for 21 days for a series of breaches. The store had no manager on duty, failed to give notice of manager appointments, had unauthorised sale, and sold RTDs at a grocery. The suspensions have all been completed, Chetty said. Controlled purchase operations are conducted to test compliance with laws against selling alcohol to minors. 'As all licence holders will know, suspensions are put in place for first-time offenders, however repeat offences may carry greater penalties which are set out in the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act,' Chetty said. 'Every alcohol licence comes with rules and conditions to support the sale and supply of alcohol in a safe and responsible manner, which will help reduce alcohol related harm.' The suspensions were handed out by the Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority (ARLA).
Scoop
6 days ago
- Health
- Scoop
Bottle Shops Caught Selling Alcohol To Minors
Article – Torika Tokalau – Local Democracy Reporter Eleven bottle shops and stores across Auckland have been caught selling booze to under-18s in the past year. Black Bull Northcote,Simply Fresh in Hillcrest, Glengarry Ellerslie, Brew Royal Oak, Bottle O Mount Smart, Grand Food Mart in Orewa, Kowhai Liquor Centre at Warkworth, Wine and Spirits in Flat Bush, Forrest Hill Liquor Centre, Favona Liquor Wholesale and Unsworth Liquor – had their licences to sell alcohol suspended briefly for breaching the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012. The stores were caught during several controlled purchase operations conducted by Auckland Council's Alcohol Licensing Unit, police and the Auckland Regional Public Health Service, from last May to date. Auckland Council manager of licensing and environmental health Mervyn Chetty said there were clear expectations that anyone granted an alcohol licence will follow the rules. 'Selling alcohol to a minor is against the law,' Chetty said. 'It puts young people at serious risk of alcohol related harm including injuries and accidents.' Glengarry Ellerslie, Brew Royal Oak, Kowhai Liquor Centre, Black Bull Northcote, Wine and Spirits, Forrest Hill Liquor Centre, Favona Liquor Wholesale and Unsworth Liquor were suspended for 48 hours. Bottle O Mt Smart was suspended for 72 hours in March, while Simply Fresh in Hillcrest and Grand Food Mart in Orewa were handed seven day suspensions in April and January respectively. Another off-licence, Good to Go in the central district, was suspended for 21 days for a series of breaches. The store had no manager on duty, failed to give notice of manager appointments, had unauthorised sale, and sold RTDs at a grocery. The suspensions have all been completed, Chetty said. Controlled purchase operations are conducted to test compliance with laws against selling alcohol to minors. 'As all licence holders will know, suspensions are put in place for first-time offenders, however repeat offences may carry greater penalties which are set out in the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act,' Chetty said. 'Every alcohol licence comes with rules and conditions to support the sale and supply of alcohol in a safe and responsible manner, which will help reduce alcohol related harm.' The suspensions were handed out by the Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority (ARLA).
Scoop
6 days ago
- Health
- Scoop
Bottle Shops Caught Selling Alcohol To Minors
Eleven bottle shops and stores across Auckland have been caught selling booze to under-18s in the past year. Black Bull Northcote, Simply Fresh in Hillcrest, Glengarry Ellerslie, Brew Royal Oak, Bottle O Mount Smart, Grand Food Mart in Orewa, Kowhai Liquor Centre at Warkworth, Wine and Spirits in Flat Bush, Forrest Hill Liquor Centre, Favona Liquor Wholesale and Unsworth Liquor - had their licences to sell alcohol suspended briefly for breaching the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012. The stores were caught during several controlled purchase operations conducted by Auckland Council's Alcohol Licensing Unit, police and the Auckland Regional Public Health Service, from last May to date. Auckland Council manager of licensing and environmental health Mervyn Chetty said there were clear expectations that anyone granted an alcohol licence will follow the rules. "Selling alcohol to a minor is against the law," Chetty said. "It puts young people at serious risk of alcohol related harm including injuries and accidents." Glengarry Ellerslie, Brew Royal Oak, Kowhai Liquor Centre, Black Bull Northcote, Wine and Spirits, Forrest Hill Liquor Centre, Favona Liquor Wholesale and Unsworth Liquor were suspended for 48 hours. Bottle O Mt Smart was suspended for 72 hours in March, while Simply Fresh in Hillcrest and Grand Food Mart in Orewa were handed seven day suspensions in April and January respectively. Another off-licence, Good to Go in the central district, was suspended for 21 days for a series of breaches. The store had no manager on duty, failed to give notice of manager appointments, had unauthorised sale, and sold RTDs at a grocery. The suspensions have all been completed, Chetty said. Controlled purchase operations are conducted to test compliance with laws against selling alcohol to minors. "As all licence holders will know, suspensions are put in place for first-time offenders, however repeat offences may carry greater penalties which are set out in the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act," Chetty said. "Every alcohol licence comes with rules and conditions to support the sale and supply of alcohol in a safe and responsible manner, which will help reduce alcohol related harm." The suspensions were handed out by the Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority (ARLA).
Otago Daily Times
7 days ago
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
Bottle shops caught selling alcohol to minors
Eleven bottle shops and stores across Auckland have been caught selling booze to under-18s in the past year. Black Bull Northcote, Simply Fresh in Hillcrest, Glengarry Ellerslie, Brew Royal Oak, Bottle O Mount Smart, Grand Food Mart in Orewa, Kowhai Liquor Centre at Warkworth, Wine and Spirits in Flat Bush, Forrest Hill Liquor Centre, Favona Liquor Wholesale and Unsworth Liquor - had their licences to sell alcohol suspended briefly for breaching the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012. The stores were caught during several controlled purchase operations conducted by Auckland Council's Alcohol Licensing Unit, police and the Auckland Regional Public Health Service, from last May to date. Auckland Council manager of licensing and environmental health Mervyn Chetty said there were clear expectations that anyone granted an alcohol licence will follow the rules. "Selling alcohol to a minor is against the law," Chetty said. "It puts young people at serious risk of alcohol related harm including injuries and accidents." Glengarry Ellerslie, Brew Royal Oak, Kowhai Liquor Centre, Black Bull Northcote, Wine and Spirits, Forrest Hill Liquor Centre, Favona Liquor Wholesale and Unsworth Liquor were suspended for 48 hours. Bottle O Mt Smart was suspended for 72 hours in March, while Simply Fresh in Hillcrest and Grand Food Mart in Orewa were handed seven-day suspensions in April and January respectively. Another off-licence, Good to Go in the central district, was suspended for 21 days for a series of breaches. The store had no manager on duty, failed to give notice of manager appointments, had unauthorised sale, and sold RTDs at a grocery. The suspensions have all been completed, Chetty said. Controlled purchase operations are conducted to test compliance with laws against selling alcohol to minors. "As all licence holders will know, suspensions are put in place for first-time offenders, however repeat offences may carry greater penalties which are set out in the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act," Chetty said. "Every alcohol licence comes with rules and conditions to support the sale and supply of alcohol in a safe and responsible manner, which will help reduce alcohol related harm." The suspensions were handed out by the Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority (ARLA). - Torika Tokalau, Local democracy reporter LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
NZ Herald
27-04-2025
- Health
- NZ Herald
Five Tauranga liquor stores handed licence suspension after being caught selling to minors
In its written decisions, the authority said the duty managers involved admitted they had not asked the volunteer's age, their date of birth nor if they had any suitable form of identification. The breaches of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act occurred during joint compliance operations by Tauranga City Council's licensing inspectors and a Tauranga police alcohol harm prevention co-ordinator. The suspensions have sparked calls for 'greater accountability and oversight' of off-licence premises and stricter licensing criteria for duty managers from Tauranga alcohol harm expert Dr Tony Farrell. The council, which sought the eight suspensions, has confirmed the number of compliance failures during controlled purchase operations had more than doubled in two years. Council's compliance message Council Alcohol Licensing team leader Sam Kemp said eight premises failed controlled purchase operations last month. Kemp said the council was awaiting ARLA decisions for the remaining three off-licence premises and three duty managers for whom suspension applications had been submitted. 'Over the past few years, we have observed a significant increase in compliance failures, which have more than doubled from three in 2023, and four suspensions in 2024.' He said the four suspensions last year included two duty managers, one of whom allowed a person to become intoxicated on the premises. To date there had been eight failures in 2025, he said. 'This trend appears to be primarily due to complacency among duty managers, who often neglect basic compliance practices such as asking customers for their age or requesting identification.' Call for greater deterrent measures Dr Tony Farrell from Mount Medical Centre said the sale of alcohol to minors was 'extremely concerning'. 'The evidence is clear that alcohol use in those under 18 is associated with significant harm. 'Including increased risk of injury, impaired brain development, poorer academic outcomes, suicide, and greater likelihood of risky behaviours. 'Early alcohol use also increases the risk of developing long-term dependency. These harms are well-documented and preventable. ' Advertisement Advertise with NZME. He said retailers who sold alcohol had a responsibility to 'uphold the law and protect young people from these risks' and failing to check ID was a 'serious breach' of that duty. For many large retail outlets, a two-day closure may be 'little more' than an inconvenience. Farrell said he supported 'mandatory training and stricter licensing criteria' for duty managers, regular controlled purchase operations and a graduated penalty system that included longer suspensions. He said the broader issue was that off-licence alcohol sales were 'widely accessible and heavily marketed', particularly to vulnerable populations, including youth. 'A national approach to reducing alcohol availability and advertising exposure is urgently needed.' Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee said it was the responsibility of liquor outlets to work within the law and conditions of their licence. Advertisement Advertise with NZME. 'I am aware that most licence holders have appropriate systems in place to ensure they do. However, those who fail to comply should be expected to face the full consequences of their offending.' McKee said she regularly met with stakeholders with a range of interests and views on alcohol licensing. 'We are looking at many parts of the [Sale and Supply of Alcohol] act that can address harm reduction, but also note an overall reduction in alcohol consumption generally.' Licence suspension periods Super Liquor Te Puke off-licence suspension from 9am on May 3 to 9am on May 5 Liquorland CBD Tauranga, Papamoa Liquor Centre, Bottle Craft Te Puna and Avenue Liquor Centre off-licence suspensions from 9am on May 4 to 9am on May 6. Manager certificate suspensions for Liquorland CBD Tauranga, Papamoa Liquor Centre, Bottle Craft Te Puna and Super Liquor Te Puke from May 5 to June 1.
