Ensuring premises selling alcohol meet licensing requirements
Alcohol Licensing Officers at Community and Public Health monitor premises with alcohol licences and assist the local Medical Officers of Health to report on proposed license applications or renewals.
Medical Officers of Health are required to report on all applications under the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 for:
- On Licences such as pubs, restaurants, cafes, and bars;
- Off Licences including supermarkets, bottle stores and wineries;
- Club Licences such as sports clubs, RSAs, and working men’s clubs; and
- Special Licences – short term licenses for particular events at normally unlicensed premises or locations, or to alter the conditions of a licenses to allow for particular events.
The primary focus of these investigations by Community and Public Health is the suitability of the applicant including preventing alcohol-related harm, including host responsibility.
Staff collaborate with Police Licensing staff and Licensing Inspectors from the local Councils as part of these investigations, and also when monitoring premises or running Controlled Purchase Operations. Controlled Purchase Operations (CPOs) involve visiting licensed premises and testing their procedures to ensure that:
- minors are not supplied with alcohol; and
- appropriate food is promoted and available – to meet legal requirements.
Find out more about the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 including the changes made in December 2013.
Training is available for sellers and servers of alcohol
Training is available for sellers and servers of alcoholCommunity and Public Health’s Alcohol Licensing Officers support Licensed Controller Qualification Training – a requirement for a General or Club Manager’s Certificate.
Online training for sellers and servers of alcohol is available through ServeWise. ServeWise is a new free national e-Learning tool for both on- and off-licensed premises. The modules focus on intoxication, minors, server intervention and host responsibility, and take approximately an hour to complete.
Documents
- The Manager’s Guide: A guide to the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 and other legislation (Health Promotion Agency 2017)
- Applying for a licence to sell or supply alcohol: A guide to applications and hearings (Health Promotion Agency 2017)
- National guidance on alcohol promotions: Off-licensed premises (Health Promotion Agency 2017)
- National guidance on alcohol promotions: On-licensed premises (Health Promotion Agency 2017)
- The Bar Code: Frontline Bar Staff and the Law (Health Promotion Agency 2016)
- Creating a Responsible Drinking Environment – Host Responsibility: Guidelines for Licensed Premises (Health Promotion Agency 2016)
- Guidelines for CPTED (Crime Prevention through Environmental Design) for licensed premises (Health Promotion Agency 2015)
Links
- Host Responsibility for Licensed Premises (Health Promotion Agency)
- Alcohol.org.nz (Health Promotion Agency – formerly ALAC)
Contact your local CPH office for further information:
CANTERBURY
Ph: +64 3 364 1777
Fax: +64 3 379 6125
SOUTH CANTERBURY
Ph: +64 3 687 2600
Fax: +64 3 688 6091
WEST COAST
Ph: +64 3 768 1160
Fax: +64 3 768 1169
Have your say on alcohol in your community
There are many ways you can have your voice heard on alcohol in your community. You might have a specific concern or there might be an opportunity to take action.
- Find out how you can take action on alcohol in your community, such as complaining about an alcohol advertisement or influencing your local alcohol policy.
- Objecting to a licence to sell or supply alcohol: A guide to objections and hearings (Health Promotion Agency 2017)
- Have your say about alcohol in your community: A guide to making a submission to your local council (Health Promotion Agency 2015)
Order Alcohol signage for bars, restaurants and sports clubs
This signage is available from the Community Health Information Centre.
