Far North District Council: Draft Local Alcohol Policy

Local data shows that:

• In 2025, Police attended 981 incidents in public spaces where alcohol was a contributing factor.
• Alcohol and drug-related crashes causing death or injury were 76% higher in the Far North than anywhere else in New Zealand during 2018-2021.

How alcohol is sold and supplied, including the number of outlets in an area and the hours they can sell alcohol, can influence how easily people can access and consume it.

A Local Alcohol Policy (LAP) sets guidelines for alcohol licensing decisions within a council district. An LAP can influence where licensed premises can operate, when they can sell, whether new licences are granted, and what conditions apply for business who sell alcohol.

Far North District Council (FNDC) has developed a draft LAP, proposing changes to how alcohol is sold and managed across the district. The Council is now seeking feedback from whānau, hapū, iwi, businesses and communities before deciding whether to adopt the policy.

This is an opportunity for whānau and communities to share what they support in the draft LAP, what they’d like to see changed, and identify what’s missing.

We’ve broken down the draft LAP in two sections. First, we highlight its key strengths and opportunities to go further. Then, we explain the main proposals in more details.

What the draft LAP gets right, and where it could further

A summarised overview of the key strengths of the draft LAP, and opportunities for where the LAP could go further.

Strengths of the draft LAP

Restrictions on new off-licences

The draft proposes a general presumption against granting new off-licences, like bottle stores. This could help prevent further growth of alcohol outlets across the Far North, particularly in communities already experiencing high levels of alcohol-related harm.

Earlier off-licence trading hours

Restricting trading hours to 7am-9pm would limit late-night alcohol sales at bottle stores, reducing alcohol availability during high-risk times.

Protections around sensitive facilities

Restrictions on new licences within 100 metres of sensitive facilities, including marae, places of worship, treatment centres and places catering for children recognises the importance of protecting places frequently used by whānau, tamariki and rangatahi.

Controls on alcohol purchasing and promotion

Proposed restrictions on Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) purchases, single-unit alcohol sales and external advertising address aspects of alcohol availability that further encourage alcohol consumption.

Stronger venue management and host responsibility

This LAP draft allows for conditions which can help manage alcohol-related risks at events where alcohol is available including CCTV, lighting, incident reporting, patron numbers, noise management, preventing intoxication and providing food and non-alcoholic options.

Opportunities to strengthen the draft LAP

Reduce off-licence trading hours further

Current proposal: Off-licences can trade between 7am and 9pm.

The proposed hours restrict late-night sales but still permit alcohol sales from early morning (7am).

Communities could ask FNDC to:

• Further reduce off-licence trading hours to 9am–9pm.
• Consider shorter trading hours in areas experiencing higher levels of deprivation and/or alcohol-related harm.

Introduce a sinking lid on off-licences

Current proposal: New off-licence applications would generally not be approved, subject to exceptions.

While this restriction on new licences can prevent further growth in outlet numbers, it does not necessarily reduce the existing concentration of outlets.

Communities could ask FNDC to:

• Introduce a sinking lid policy to progressively reduce the number of off-licences over time.
• Consider additional restrictions on new on-licences in areas already experiencing high outlet density, deprivation, and/or alcohol-related harm.

Strengthen protections around sensitive facilities

Current proposal: The District Licensing Committee (DLC) may decline or include conditions for certain new premises within 100 metres of sensitive facilities.

The proposed distance of 100 metres may not provide sufficient protection for all communities. These restrictions are also discretionary, meaning they will not necessarily be required for every licence.

Communities could ask FNDC to:

• Increase the distance to 200 metres or more.
• Make protections for sensitive sites a mandatory requirement for all proposed new licensed premises, rather than a discretionary condition.

Introduce earlier closing times for on licences

Current proposal: On licences can trade between 8am and 1am the following day.

The proposed hours still permit alcohol sales until 1am, which may be a concern in areas experiencing late-night disorder, injuries, road incidents or other alcohol-related harm.

Communities could ask FNDC to:

• Reduce maximum on-licence trading hours to midnight or earlier.
• Consider area-specific restrictions where local evidence indicates greater risk.
• Require one-way door restrictions for late-night venues, rather than discretionary decisions based on reported disorder.

Make key safeguards more consistent

Current proposal: Discretionary conditions relating to advertising, CCTV, patron numbers, host responsibility and sensitive facilities are discretionary.

While discretion allows the DLC to tailor conditions to individual premises, it can also result in inconsistent licensing decisions.

Communities could ask FNDC to:

• Make key safeguards mandatory for clearly defined categories of licensed premises.
• Establish clear criteria for when additional conditions must be imposed.
• Improve transparency by publishing information about licensing decisions, exceptions and the application of LAP conditions.

Strengthen safeguards for online alcohol sales and delivery

Current proposal: The draft includes provisions for remote sales and Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) purchases.

Online purchasing and delivery can create challenges around delivery hours, age verification, and preventing supply to minors or intoxicated people.

Communities could ask FNDC to:

• Clarify how trading-hour restrictions apply to online alcohol sales and delivery.
• Require robust age-verification and delivery procedures through licence conditions where legally available.
• Advocate for stronger national regulation where the risks cannot be adequately addressed through a LAP.

Include a clear monitoring and evaluation plan

The effectiveness of the LAP will depend on how it is implemented and whether it reduces alcohol availability and related harm over time.

Communities could ask FNDC to:

• Establish baseline measures before the LAP takes effect.
• Monitor outlet numbers, licence applications, approvals, breaches and enforcement.
• Track relevant indicators of alcohol-related harm where data are available.
• Publish regular reports on the policy’s implementation and effectiveness.
• Involve iwi, hapū, Māori health providers and other affected communities in reviewing outcomes and identifying further improvements.

Equity and Māori participation

The impact of alcohol availability differs between communities. Intentionally including an equity-lens across LAP provisions can contribute to positive outcomes for all communities in the Far North.

Communities could ask FNDC to:

• Prioritise areas experiencing the greatest alcohol-related harm when considering restrictions on outlet density and new licences.
• Consider socioeconomic deprivation, Māori health equity and existing outlet concentration when developing area-specific restrictions.
• Ensure iwi, hapū, marae and Māori health providers are meaningfully involved in implementation and evaluation.
• Give appropriate weight to the experiences of communities most affected by alcohol-related harm.

What the draft LAP proposes

Here’s a closer look at the proposed rules for different types of alcohol licences across the Far North.

Off licences

Off licences sell alcohol for consumption elsewhere, like bottle stores and supermarkets.

Proposed changes include:

• Earlier closing times. The maximum opening hours would be 7am-9pm from Monday-Sunday.

• Restrictions on new off-licences. New off-licence applications would generally not be approved unless the applicant can demonstrate good reasons for an exemption.

• Protecting sensitive facilities. New off-licences within 100-metres of sensitive facilities may be declined or, if granted, given additional conditions.

  Sensitive facilities include places catering for children, alcohol and drug treatment centres, marae, and places of worship.

• Restrictions on single-unit sales. Some alcoholic drinks originally packaged in multi-packs cannot be broken down and sold individually. This rule would target drinks less than 500ml, over 1.15% alcohol by volume (ABV), and priced below $6 each.

• Buy Now Pay Later. Alcohol purchases would not be permitted through Buy Now Pay Later methods, such as Afterpay.

• Limits on external advertising. The amount and types of alcohol advertising displayed on the outside of licensed premises could be restricted.

• Crime prevention and social responsibility. Requirements could include CCTV, lighting, keeping a register of incidents, staff training, and procedures to prevent sales to minors.

Most of these additional requirements would be discretionary, meaning the District Licensing Committee (DLC) could apply them to individual licences on a case-by-case basis.

On licences

On licences allow alcohol to be consumed on the premises, like bars, pubs, taverns, nightclubs, and restaurants.

Proposed changes include:

• Maximum trading hours. Alcohol sales would be limited to 8am-1am the next day.
• Restrictions on new venues. Applications for new taverns, pubs, nightclubs, and some restaurants could be declined if they are within 100-metres of a sensitive facility or an existing alcohol venue of the same type.
• Supervised areas. Taverns, pubs, nightclubs, and some restaurants could be required to designate supervised areas.
• Limits on patron numbers. The DLC could set a maximum number of people allowed inside a venue, considering factors such as venue size, staffing, security, and history of problems.
• One-way door restrictions. Venues could be required to stop admitting or readmitting patrons during the final hour of trading where alcohol-related disorder has been reported nearby. This would apply to relevant venues closing after midnight.
• Outdoor areas and noise. Venues may be required to manage outdoor areas, including possible 10pm closing times for areas like garden bars, as well as noise control and management plans.
• Crime prevention and host responsibility. Requirements could include CCTV, lighting, keeping a record of incidents, staff training, preventing intoxication, providing food and low or non-alcoholic options, and providing information about transport options.

Licensed clubs

Licensed clubs include sports clubs and RSA clubs that sell alcohol to members, invited guests and visitors.

The draft proposes maximum trading hours of 8am-1am the following day, with a special provision allowing clubs to begin trading at 5am on ANZAC Day, where permitted by law (through the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act).

The DLC could also impose conditions around:

• Maximum patron numbers (a ‘patron’ is a customer or consumer)
• One-way door restrictions for venues where alcohol-related disorder has been reported nearby
• Noise management and outdoor areas
• CCTV, lighting, and records of incidents
• Host responsibility including preventing intoxication and underage drinking

These conditions would be discretionary, meaning on a case-by-case basis.

Special licences

Special licences cover events where alcohol is sold or supplied outside the usual licensing arrangements, like festivals, outdoor concerts, weddings, or other private functions.

The draft LAP proposes conditions that can be tailored to the size, location, and risks of each event. These could include:

• No special licences granted for events held on school grounds, like school fetes or galas
• Wine and beer festivals be designated and managed as R18 events
• Detailed alcohol management plans for large events expecting more than 400 people
• Requirements for free provision of drinking water, food, and low or non-alcoholic options

Why does this matter?

The draft LAP is an opportunity for the Far North to shape how alcohol is made available in local communities.

Opportunities to limit late-night alcohol sales, restricting new outlets near schools or daycares, and managing the concentration of certain venues could help address real concerns about alcohol-related harm.

While LAPs are not the full solution to alcohol-related harm, it’s an important tool available to councils and licensing decision makers to help manage the availability of alcohol.

Have your say

Whānau and communities can provide feedback on whether the proposed rules are appropriate for the Far North - which conditions they support, and what changes they would like to see.

You can have your say by:

• Completing the online consultation survey.
• Emailing your feedback to submissions@fndc.govt.nz.
• Posting your feedback to Far North District Council, Private Bag 752, Kaikohe 0440.

Submissions close Sunday 15 November 2026.