Nanny State v Rugby World Cup

The SST reports:

Tough new alcohol laws would make New Zealand an “international laughing stock” during the Rugby World Cup – but it is understood the government is secretly planning to override any attempt to spoil the party.

Auckland mayor John Banks says the Law Commission’s proposal to ban entry to bars after 2am would damage New Zealand’s interests as host of next year’s tournament.

The proposal, just one of the commission’s recommendations to toughen liquor laws, “doesn’t fit with Auckland’s role as host city for the cup”, Banks told the Sunday Star-Times.

Can you just imagine the scenes. NZ has won the Rugby World Cup. A million Kiwis are celebrating in town, and then suddenly nanny state says you can’t walk down the street and enter another bar to catch up with your friends.

World Cup Minister Murray McCully is also understood to be concerned at the effect on the cup of the commission’s proposals. Sources told the Star-Times he is preparing a World Cup Empowering Bill which will make it easier to obtain liquor licences at cup venues.

One source claimed that under the bill a temporary commissioner would grant special world cup liquor licences. It was not clear what premises would be eligible – while “fanzones” such as at Auckland’s Aotea Square, where matches will be broadcast on huge screens, would be included, normal bars may not.

Rather than have special laws for the Rugby World Cup, surely we should have laws that are fit for purpose all year long. Is the Government really going to impose nanny state laws on us in advance of the Rugby World Cup, but lift them just for the Cup?

The owner of Auckland’s Sale Street and Chapel Bar and Bistro, Luke Dallow, slammed the proposed restrictions as “pathetic” and warned they would make New Zealand the laughing stock of the world.

“We have to grow up. We’re an international city. In the great cities of the world they don’t have these restrictions. It is bizarre and archaic… we’re all adults here and we have to make our own decisions.”

This is the problem with a one size fits all approach. I’m not against certain communities being able to have restrictions in their area, if they have problems. But imposing a nationwide closing time and entry time is lowest common denominator thinking.

Banks said it was “absolutely important that we front-foot Auckland as a premier host city and as an internationally competitive metropolis, which means that we have to have sensible liquor licensing laws. If you close all licensed premises at an arbitrary hour of 1 or 2am you simply move the problem from bad licensed premises on to streets that become bad”.

I suspect violence will increase if bars are forced to adopt a no entry policy. You’ll need heaps more bouncers if people can see a bar is still open, but they can’t go inside to rejoin their mates.

Also I wonder how it will work in areas where bars have outside seating? Will they put barbed wire up to keep people from sitting down?