Twyford Phil: Rugby World Cup 2011 (Empowering) Bill — In Committee 
Twyford Phil: Rugby World Cup 2011 (Empowering) Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:668;Page:15106] 
PHIL TWYFORD (Labour) 
: 
 I was one of those who began this debate with some real concern about whether the provisions in this bill relating to liquor licensing would open the door to a liberalisation of the availability of liquor at the very time our community is showing great concern about the drinking culture in this country and is discussing debating and coming to grips with the recommendations of the Law Commission on alcohol in our society. I expressed some of those concerns in the first reading debate. Since then they have been part of many of the discussions at the Government Administration Committee and I have to say that I have changed my view on this issue. 
I am generally of the view now that the provisions in this bill for liquor licensing for the Rugby World Cup are reasonable comprehensive and appropriate and I support them. Other speakers have pointed out that the provisions in this bill are largely lifted from the Sale of Liquor Act that they are primarily designed to expedite the granting of licences and that the fundamentals of the regulatory framework for liquor licensing are reproduced in this bill and in fact there are one or two improvements. Whether these provisions amount to a liberalisation is an interesting question. I guess one could make the case that the intent of this legislation is to allow a faster licensing process and arguably a much greater volume of liquor outlets being licensed for this very defined period of time. 
My colleague Trevor Mallard makes the argument that not one extra person will get a drink because of this legislation because there will be plenty of liquor outlets anyway. I am not sure that I entirely go along with that. I think that with 70000 visitors to Auckland during the Rugby World Cup and with many New Zealanders flooding into the city for the big games the sheer volume of people in Auckland going to the big games many of whom will want to have a drink before and after the games will mean a pretty dramatic expansion in the number of liquor outlets and the number of drinks being sold. 
The question is whether if we accept that that amounts to a liberalisation it is reasonable in the context of the fact that we are putting on this event and whether it is reasonable when we balance it against the huge benefits that we hope New Zealand and our communities will get from hosting the Rugby World Cup. Given what I said before about the fact that this legislation has been carefully thought through with regard to liquor licensing and the fact that there are a number of controls and safeguards in place my view is that a reasonable balance is being struck and I do not think we have too much to be concerned about. 
I am pleased for instance that outlets with a Rugby World Cup liquor licence are required to provide water free of cost for the punters. A number of conditions are set out in clause 73 that will give members of the authority the tools to require tailored licensing for particular times and places and I think that is a good thing. Some of those conditions relate to the hours and the days that liquor can be sold the supply of low-alcohol beverages the provision of food and the maximum number of patrons. Those are all useful provisions. Under this bill the police will have extra enforcement powers that are not available to them under the Sale of Liquor Act. That is useful. 
In finishing I will echo Grant Robertson’s comments. Again members on this side of the Chamber are concerned about the urgency powers.