Alcohol licensing is overseen by several pieces of both local and national government legislation. It is important that you know what these are and how they function together if you are wanting to sell alcohol safely.
Alcohol licensing law in New Zealand is set by the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012. The object of the Act is that the sale, supply and consumption of alcohol should be undertaken safely and responsibly, and that the harm caused by excessive or inappropriate consumption of alcohol is minimised.
Key features of the Act include:
The Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 allows councils to develop local alcohol policies. A local alcohol policy (LAP) is a set of decisions made by a local authority in consultation with its community about the sale and supply of alcohol in its geographical area.
The aim of Porirua's LAP is to minimise alcohol-related harm in Porirua, reflect local communities’ character, amenity, values, preferences and needs, and to encourage licensed premises to foster positive and responsible drinking behaviours.
We adopted our first LAP in 2017 and finished our review in 2025. The review showed that despite the LAP, certain areas within the district are at a higher risk from suffering alcohol related harm. The new policy is aimed at minimising and preventing alcohol-related harm, with a focus on equity-based interventions.
Key features of the Porirua Local Alcohol Policy
As well as Porirua's LAP, the Council also has an Alcohol Control Bylaw. The purpose of this Bylaw is to control the consumption and/or possession of alcohol in public places to reduce alcohol-related harm in the area.
Key features of the Alcohol Control Bylaw include:
On 27 June 2024, Council voted to pass the Alcohol Fees Bylaw in Porirua City. This will come into effect from 1 October 2024 and will increase fees for application and annual fees for licences, application fees for special licences and temporary authorities and introduce standalone fees for public notices and the late lodgement of applications.
On 1 October 2024, 2025 and 2026, the fees for each of these categories will increase with the intention of full cost recovery of alcohol licensing costs in Porirua City. Council will review these fees annually to ensure this is achieved.
You can view the Alcohol Fees Bylaw here.
The Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act requires each local authority to establish a District Licensing Committee (the DLC). The DLC determines applications for alcohol licences and managers' certificates.
More details on Porirua's DLC and its functions are outlined below. If you need more information about Porirua's Committee (or about District Licensing Committees in general), please contact us via phone (ask for alcohol licensing) or email us.
A District Licensing Committee's functions are to consider and determine applications for:
The DLC also, where appropriate, refers applications, conducts inquiries and makes reports to the Licensing Authority (ARLA) when required.
Chair and Deputy Chair:
Appointed list members:
