Banks favours industry over community

The Drug Foundation has called into question Auckland City Mayor John Banks’ recent decision to stop community input on local liquor law changes half-way through a public consultation process.

“Communities might have preferred a closing time of 11pm, midnight, or 2am. But now we’ll never know. It’s disturbing that Mayor Banks canned community consultation in the face of hospitality industry lobbying,” said New Zealand Drug Foundation Director Ross Bell.

Mayor Banks scrapped the policy in the middle of public consultation, which was originally to run until October 7th.

Mr Banks, who has had a long association with the hospitality industry, said he will now await the outcome of the Law Commission’s liquor review.

“The Law Commission has indicated their preference for greater community input into local licensing decision making; perhaps the irony is lost on Mr Banks,” said Mr Bell.