New Zealand Executive Government News Release Archive

The Minister of Justice, Hon D.A.M. Graham, today announced the scope and timetable for a review of the Sale of Liquor Act 1989.

While focusing on the operation of the Act and whether it meets its objectives and underlying principles, the review will address the following issues in particular:

• The minimum drinking age
• Supermarket and off licence sales on Sunday
• Sunday trading in hotels and taverns
• The different types of licences that can be granted
• Drinking hours
• Definition of intoxication
• Host responsibility
• Managers certificates and training
• The roles of the Liquor Licensing Authority and district licensing agencies
• The position of licensing trusts
• Technical issues
• Consideration of the Potter Report on liquor advertising
• Health warnings

Mr Graham said the Ministry of Justice will prepare a consultative document on the issues for release in July 1996.

The public will have until 30 September 1996 to make submissions on the document.

An advisory committee has been appointed to review the submissions and report its recommendations to Mr Graham by 30 November 1996.

The committee will be Chaired by former Secretary for Justice and former Chief Ombudsman Sir John Robertson of Wellington. The two members are Auckland Barrister Alan Dormer who was a member of a Working Party set up to review liquor laws in 1985 and Althea Vercoe, a Training Officer and Cultural Advisor with the Department of Social Welfare in Rotorua.

Mr Graham said legislation arising from the review would not be introduced until next year. 

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