Alcohol voted off shop shelves

Press, 1 June 1989, Page 1

Alcohol voted off shop shelves

By

PETER LUKE

First went the spirits, then the beer, and finally the wine. In three votes. Parliament yesterday decided that alcohol will not be found on more supermarket shelves.

The Sale of Liquor Bill survived an attempt to kill its second reading before moving into the committee stage, where clauses are individually debated. The key debate last evening was over a clause which would have permitted supermarkets and other grocery outlets to sell alcohol.

Two proposed amendments ensured that politicians effectively ruled out spirits and beer being sold.

Both votes were lost on voices, but a division was called for over wine, which resulted in a 37-33 defeat for wine sales. The move will not affect the 50-odd supermarkets — including one in Greymouth — which hold a wine licence.

Miss Ruth Richardson (Nat., Selwyn) described the wine-only proposal as a ‘‘sexist amendment” because it reflected the view that women could not be trusted if other types of alcohol were available in supermarkets. Also defeated last evening were amendments to permit Sunday trading, to reinstate mandatory public bars (optional in the Bill), and to limit the size of bars to 100 people.

Details, page 8