Latest news with #SamKemp
NZ Herald
4 days ago
- NZ Herald
Tauranga crackdown: Stores sell alcohol to minors
Council alcohol licensing team leader Sam Kemp said alarmingly, eight establishments sold alcohol without verifying the buyer's age or requesting any form of identification. 'When questioned by alcohol licensing inspectors, the duty managers admitted they had not verified the minor's age or, in some cases, not requested appropriate identification and, instead, they completed the sale and allowed the purchase to proceed,' Kemp said. This latest operation followed a sting in March that also caught eight licensed premises. 'The continued non-compliance highlights serious shortcomings in the in-store training and policies of some premises,' Kemp said. The council would continue to take 'firm action' to ensure public safety and uphold the law. Kemp said Tauranga alcohol licensing inspectors and police would be submitting suspension applications to the Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority. These applications would target the duty managers at the time of the breaches and the off-licenses of the non-compliant premises. The council declined to name the premises as it worked through the process. According to authority decisions, all eight premises caught out in the March operation went on to lose their right to sell liquor for 48 hours. They were Liquorland CBD Tauranga, Bottle Craft Te Puna, Avenue Liquor Centre, Papamoa Liquor Centre, Mount Boutique Liquor, Papamoa Beach Liquor Centre, Super Liquor Te Puke and Harties Liquor Store. Most also had a duty manager's certificate suspended for 28 days. In a decision posted yesterday, BottleZone Papamoa East had its off-license suspended for 48 hours after selling to a minor in a separate incident. Police investigating an assault by two youths, aged 16 and 17, on an elderly man discovered one of the youths had bought alcohol from the store. The duty manager involved confirmed this. The decision said that person no longer worked in the industry. In March the Welcome Bay Sports Bar and Grill and attached bottle store lost their liquor licenses because of Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act breaches.
Scoop
4 days ago
- Scoop
Multiple Breaches Of Tauranga Liquor Store Sales To Underage Teenagers
A prominent supermarket, bottle shops and grocery stores were among eight Tauranga off-license premises found to be selling alcohol to underage teenagers aged between 15 and 17 years. The most recent controlled purchase operation conducted by the Tauranga City Council Alcohol Licensing Team and a Tauranga Police Alcohol Harm Prevention Co-ordinator has revealed serious breaches of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act. Forty-six off-license premises were visited on Saturday 9 August under the supervision of police and Alcohol Licensing Inspectors. Tauranga City Council Alcohol Licensing Team Leader Sam Kemp says alarmingly, eight of these establishments sold alcohol without verifying the purchaser's age or requesting any form of identification. 'When questioned by Alcohol Licensing Inspectors, the duty managers admitted they had not verified the minor's age or in some cases not requested appropriate identification and instead, they completed the sale and allowed the purchase to proceed,' Sam says. This latest operation follows a similar one conducted in March of this year, during which eight licensed premises also failed to comply. 'The continued non-compliance highlights serious shortcomings in the in-store training and policies of some premises. Selling alcohol to minors is a serious offence, and we will continue to take firm action to ensure public safety and uphold the law,' Sam says. As a result, Tauranga Alcohol Licensing Inspectors and Police will be submitting suspension applications to the Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority. These applications will target both the duty managers who were on duty at the time of the breaches and the off-licences of the non-compliant premises
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.
