Otago students sceptical of changes to Local Alcohol Policy

Proposed changes include:

• Reducing off-licence trading by an hour, from 10pm to 9pm
• Standardising on-licence opening times
• Reducing early-morning trading hours for entertainment venues

University of Otago students are sceptical proposed changes to Dunedin’s Local Alcohol Policy will do anything to lower rates of hazardous drinking.

Dunedin City Council announced in October it wants to make a number of changes aimed at reducing harm to 18 to 24-year-olds.

They include reducing off-licence trading by an hour from 10pm to 9pm, standardising on-licence opening times, and reducing early-morning trading hours for entertainment venues.

Other changes include introducing a one-way door system in Dunedin from 2.30am and some changes to special licences.

A student on Dunedin’s Castle Street, which is famous for hosting huge street parties, doubts changes to off-licence trading will make much difference.

“Everyone that’s drinking goes and buys it, like during the day and stuff, but I guess it will stop bit of extra stuff happening, cause you know if everyone’s finished with the alcohol and does get it a bit later and then they end up getting way more smashed and doing more stupid things, so it will stop that part of it.”

The council said the proposed changes to the Local Alcohol Policy were designed to balance legislative requirements with Dunedin’s buzzing nightlife.

It’s seeking public feedback, weeks after a coroner found the death of 19-year-old Sophia Crestani’s death at an overcrowded flat party was a tragic but likely preventable accident.

Her father, Bede Crestani said student behaviour has improved since his daughter’s death.

“The Hold On To Your Friends group is a great example of that, where they’re trying to educate, help assist and let people, and let other students know of the of the dangers of of the excessive alcohol.”

Hold Onto Your Friends co-founder Louisa Mason said when she first started at Otago University, drinking was the ‘cool’ thing to do.

She thinks the culture has got worse.

“There’s like, heaps of pressure to have a box in your hand when you attend events. I remember being second-year and thinking like I can’t leave the house without a box, let alone not drunk, let alone without a box.

“So yeah, unfortunately it just seems that the drinking culture has actually subsumed the student culture,” she said.

Earlier in October the founders of BEE alcoholic lemonade went before the Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority after providing 350 litres of free alcohol to a student flat during O-Week.

Otago University Student Association president Keegan Wells said students want a safer place to drink, like a student bar.

“It gives a place for students to socialise and to really be students in a safe and monitored environment.

“Most importantly, there’s people there to say hey, you’ve had too much to drink, here’s some water, which students when they’re learning how to drink, really, at 18, won’t be doing that themselves,” she said.

Auckland adopted its local alcohol policy in August, which included a two-year freeze on new off-licence applications in some areas, and a strict nine-PM closing time for all off-licence outlets, including supermarkets.

Christchurch City Council is also developing a local policy.

Dunedin mayor Jules Radich said while he isn’t overly concerned about students drinking, he believes it should be in moderation.

He said alcohol regulation was a balancing act

“I think it’s important to have those restraints and moderation in our society.

“But similarly, I think it’s preferable to have people able to access alcohol under safe conditions and enjoy the benefits and pleasures of a drink with some moderating influences on having too much,” he said.

Dunedin alcohol harm prevention officer Sergeant Steve Jones said the city’s drinking culture was slowly improving.

“The culture is very different now to what it was, say back in the mid to late 2000s, with the Castle Street riots and things like that.

“We’re working very closely with other agencies with the university, with the Otago University Students’ Association and with the students themselves to try and assist them on their journey and provide a bit of pastoral care as well.”

Bede Crestani wants the alcohol industry to get involved in the current efforts in North Dunedin to promote, educate and help students with safe drinking practices.

“What I would like to see would be some better interaction from the alcohol industry with the North and Eden area in a really meaningful way,” Crestani said.

“Potentially that could be through the Sophia-charter partners and look at the harm that it creates, versus the profits that are made, to try and keep those communities safer,” he said.

Consultation on the proposed changes closes on 14 November.

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