20 Feb 2012

Principal calls for tighter liquor licence laws

10:08 am on 20 February 2012

A Porirua primary school principal plans to continue her fight against a liquor store outside her school in the wake of a successful public campaign to stop an outlet at a similar site in Wellington.

Businessman Luv Khattar withdrew his application to operate Vee's Liquor Planet opposite Newtown School after the Wellington District Licensing Agency received a record number of objections.

The principal of Russell School in Cannon's Creek, Sose Annandale, is fighting a legal battle against the licence renewal for Thirsty Liquor which is located close to the school.

She wants a change in legislation so the community's voice has weight at licensing hearings.

"There should also be a limit to how many alcohol outlets there can be per population in a certain area," she said.

In Auckland, Otara Health has been making submissions on the Alcohol Reform Bill because of what it says is an inundation of alcohol outlets in South Auckland.

The group's spokesperson, Poutoa Papali'i, says communities have to have a say in the type of businesses allowed to operate in their area.

The Alcohol Reform Bill has still to go through the committee stage and a third reading in Parliament.