Lift the Liquor Bans?

So the “Super City” of Auckland is going to review all its Liquor Ban areas. There's talk of lifting a substantial number of them.

It’s not long since we had to move heaven and earth to get alcohol banned in certain streets and parks and foreshores where the abuse of liquor was a public disgrace. Much of this kind of behaviour has been reduced where bans have been enforced. And we have a better regulatory environment for them now.

But perhaps the new rules came down rather too heavily and created a whole lot of LB areas where no demonstrable need existed. Maybe there was the kind of knee-jerk over-reaction with which so many social regulations are put in place. Certainly, I have a lot of sympathy with those who suddenly found that their accustomed picnic spot could no longer allow them a glass of wine with their lunch.

But I hope that the current relaxation in the use of liquor bans in appropriate public areas will not throw open the doors to the kind of behaviour that we used to see in the Bay of Islands.