Sosene Lemauga LydiaLEMAUGA LYDIA SOSENE (Labour): Thank you Madam Speaker. It's a real pleasure to take a call on this special debate on local matters. Last night I was given the opportunity to make a contribution to the Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Exemption for Race Meetings) Amendment Bill and I do want to acknowledge the member Ian McKelvie. But this is about local matters and I wanted to report to the House with regards to alcohol in our local community. It's really just to highlight where we've come.I'm going to roll back a bit: in 2012 the then National Government passed the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012. Basically what that meant was that businesses could come into our local area and consumers were able to come into their shops and purchase alcohol and take it off the licensed premises. Well back in 2013 a shop called—oh it escapes me now. But anyway they set up shop across from one of our local high schools Southern Cross Campus—straight across from the school gate. Now the issue of alcohol in our area of Māngere at that time in 2013—there were just far too many issues with regards to alcohol. One of the issues for our community was that our young people who were actually probably 14 15 16 at the time actually looked about 21 22 23. So they were able to purchase under age but we couldn't prove it at the time.Long story short the new Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 enabled businesses to do that so there was nothing illegal about that activity. I just wanted to highlight that in the community we were able to collaborate; we were able to work as a partnership. And as a resilient community individuals and community leaders came together and they worked with the then local council board people and mobilised and basically they got involved when there were new licences and because of the legislation were able to object to those new licences.I wanted to highlight that there is a good news story and it is about participation as a community. It is about education that there is a place for alcohol but it's just that if there are far too many licences and it is far too accessible for our young people then sometimes our young people don't have the maturity to make good decisions. So I wanted to report that as a result of the community leaders as a result of parents who wanted to mobilise and object the process that was under the district licensing Act enabled the community to be empowered to come together and be able to participate to give their lived-experience voices for why it is not a good thing to have an alcohol shop across from a school gate.So what I wanted to bring to the House was that I have really been involved in the process like our member Aupito William Sio. We have appreciated the Government's assistance by way of the police by way of Te Whatu Ora by way of also Minister of Justice Kiri Allan who has come to our community who has listened to the issues and who has helped the community to understand the legislation.I just want to end off by acknowledging the individuals in our community who have led the charge in terms of educating the community when they're not happy with an off-licence in our community about what they can do as a community. I want to acknowledge the Communities Against Alcohol Harm. I want to acknowledge papa Trevor nana Glenn—who actually comes to the hearings in her walking frame but she is a very vibrant and educated nana who has helped the community object to the too many liquor licences. But understanding the legislation and collecting better evidence has enabled the community to come together in Māngere and be able to put their case forward as to why they would object to those off-licences. So just as I end off I wanted to thank all the locals that are involved in this process and thank them and acknowledge them. Thank you.