The Porirua Salvation Army is opposing the renewal of a liquor license for a Cannons Creek bottle store, saying the negative impacts of its operation are a danger to its clients and the wider community.
Porirua Salvation Army social service centre manager Major Ray Gordon says the Fantame Liquor Store is located close to Salvation Army emergency housing accommodating up to nine women and their children. Some of these families have fled abusive domestic situations where alcohol has been a major aggravating factor, he says.
The liquor store’s 9am to midnight trading hours has led to many of the shop’s customers drinking in the vicinity and into the early hours of the morning.
“Drunken altercations and rowdy behaviour are fairly common,” Major Gordon says. “For women and children who have been traumatised, with alcohol abuse often a root cause, having the bottle store and a constant flow of customers 15 hours a day can be very distressing.”
Occasionally, women staying at the houses are waiting for placement for addiction treatment and the bottle store and its clientele are not conducive to staying sober, he says.
For many other Salvation Army social service clients seeking food, budget advice or counselling, the easy access of alcohol in Porirua and its abuse is an underlying reason for them seeking help, Major Gordon says.
“A parent with an alcohol problem can wreak havoc on the family budget, children can be neglected or abused and there are often long-term psychological scars,” he says.
The Salvation Army has made a range of submissions to Government on what it sees as shortcomings of the Alcohol Reform Bill, and suggested remedies. These include the need to give the public a greater and better defined voice in the granting and renewal of liquor licenses and input into local authorities’ liquor plans.
The most effective measure to reduce alcohol consumption by young people and heavy drinkers – increasing alcohol excise – has already been sidelined by the Government. This measure is viewed by the World Health Organisation as the most cost-effective method of reducing alcohol consumption by young and heavy drinkers.
The Salvation Army is supporting Russell School’s celebration of Cannons Creek as a caring community and for the need to provide a safe environment for local children. The school is holding a community event, including a public action opposing the liquor licence renewal, on Tuesday, July 26 outside the school on Fantame Street from 4.30pm.
Issued on the Authority of Major Rod Carey (Central Divisional Commander)
The Salvation Army, New Zealand Fiji & Tonga Territory
scoop nz
does anyone ever actually go to this bottle store and see when they close??? just because they have the hours to sell the liquor from 9 am till 12 midnight doesn’t mean they actually open for 15 hours a day, every single day! Does it?? I mean least they aint sitting on there back side bludging off the government’s doll money, instead they would be paying a shit load of tax. It’s funny how many people are against alcohol but no one seems to make a stand for drugs and how much drugs are abused in this community! how many people can’t drink responsibly and who ruin it for everyone else who actually does everything right? I shop at this shop every so often and there prices are always reasonable, they don’t take any nonsense and as far as I’m concerned…..if you guys have a problem about it then get the police to do their job by “safer communities together”. Not that they don’t do anything anyway, they are a waste of time! When ever there is actually a problem, they hardly ever come….instead they will call back a few days later and ask you what you want done about it which is crap!