Promoters of the first Laneway Festival in Auckland for years are in a fight for a liquor licence amid opposition from police, a council inspector and health.
Māngere East local Shirl e Fruean at the March 16 protest.
Photo: Justin Latif
Following complaints about how difficult it is for people to make objections to licences, Auckland Council s Marguerite Delbet wrote a letter to Glenn McCutcheon of Communities Against Alcohol Harm addressing these concerns. Delbet, as the council s then-democracy services manager, promised new efforts would be made to ensure objectors would feel heard , thanks to a more inclusive approach by those running the meetings.
The question is, has such an inclusive environment been implemented?
The shades of justice
The latest application in South Auckland was for a new liquor store on Vine street, Māngere East. I attended the second day of the hearing, but also listened to 467 minutes of audio recordings from the hearings, and skimmed over almost 100 pages of evidence and submissions.
Māngere East local Shirl e Fruean at the March 16 protest.
Photo: Justin Latif
Following complaints about how difficult it is for people to make objections to licences, Auckland Council s Marguerite Delbet wrote a letter to Glenn McCutcheon of Communities Against Alcohol Harm addressing these concerns. Delbet, as the council s then-democracy services manager, promised new efforts would be made to ensure objectors would feel heard , thanks to a more inclusive approach by those running the meetings.
The question is, has such an inclusive environment been implemented?
The shades of justice
The latest application in South Auckland was for a new liquor store on Vine street, Māngere East. I attended the second day of the hearing, but also listened to 467 minutes of audio recordings from the hearings, and skimmed over almost 100 pages of evidence and submissions.
An Auckland lawyer s position as a District Licensing Committee (DLC) chairperson has led to a complaint to the Ombudsman due to her previous legal work for clients in the liquor industry.
Photo: RNZ / Nathan McKinnon
The DLC is tasked with considering and granting liquor licences for everything from liquor stores and bars to cafes and nightclubs.
Grant Hewison is the secretary of Communities Against Alcohol Harm, a group set up in 2017 to fight back against the growth of liquor outlets and pokie machines in South Auckland.
He said the group filed a complaint with the Ombudsman on Wednesday after failing to convince the Auckland Council last year that Katia Fraser should be removed from the committee.