Targeted amendments planned for Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act

The government added that the intended changes will require licensed premises to broaden their zero-alcohol and/or low-alcohol beverage offerings, as well as modernise outdated definitions to reflect today’s products and preferences and people’s drinking habits. 

McKee called the current rules relating to non-alcoholic alternatives too restrictive, 

“People deserve to have choices, including the choice to enjoy a drink responsibly, or to opt for non-alcoholic alternatives that suit their lifestyle,” she said. 

McKee noted that the proposed amendments will maintain territorial authorities’ existing powers to regulate alcohol within their communities via local alcohol policies (LAPs) and district licensing committees (DLCs). 

“I trust local councils to make the right decisions for their communities,” she said. “If people have concerns about alcohol in their area, they should raise them directly with their council, and many already do.” 

Planned changes

According to the government’s news release, the Cabinet chose to: 

• Limit objections to licence applications to local communities 
• Allow licence applicants to respond to objectors 
• Require DLCs to amend licence conditions, rather than fully refusing an application, when weighing whether to renew a licence under a new LAP 
• Permit hairdressers and barbers to give small amounts of alcohol to customers without a licence 
• Let premises similar to wineries – such as breweries, meaderies, and distilleries – hold both on- and off-licences to support cellar door sales 
• Clarify the responsibilities for alcohol delivery services to prevent sales to those intoxicated or underage 
• Improve support for rapid delivery services seeking to reduce alcohol-related harm 
• Allow the relevant government minister to declare a stand-alone exemption to special licensing requirements for national televised events, without needing legislative amendments every time 
• Enable age verification digital identity credentials – under the government’s digital identification trust framework – as approved evidence of age documents for alcohol purchases 
• Specify that “low alcohol” drinks are those with negligible alcoholic content, such as kombucha 
• Define “non-alcoholic” drinks as those without alcoholic content, such as water and soft drinks 
• Note that “zero-alcohol” drinks are those that lack alcoholic content but simulate alcoholic drinks, such as 0.0 percent gin 

“These are practical changes that maintain the core objective of the Act - minimising alcohol-related harm - while recognising that regulation must also be proportionate and workable,” McKee said.