Liquor law report

Press, 3 April 1987, Page 4

Liquor law report

PA Wellington Almost 450 groups and individuals have made submissions to the Justice Department on the Laking Report which has reviewed liquor laws. The working party, under the chairmanship of Sir George Laking, released a report late last year based on public concerns, as expressed In about 300 submissions.

The public was given until April 1, 1987, to make submissions, on the report’s recommendations.

The liquor industry and a few pressure groups will make their submissions in the next few weeks, after being granted short extensions of the deadline. A spokesman for the Justice Department said

there seemed to be more submissions from individuals this time, and a few submissions from local authorities. (The report recommended handing over licensing controls to local bodies.) The pile of submissions will now go to the working party for analysis, and a written report will be presented to the Minister of Justice, Mr Palmer.

After that, it is up to the Government to decide whether to introduce a bill in the form in which the working party drafts

it When in the select committee stages of Parliament, the public will be able to have another say about the final , shape of New Zealand’s liquor laws.