Wine to be sold in supermarkets

Press, 26 July 1989, Page 1

Wine to be sold in supermarkets

By

PETER LUKE

in Wellington Parliament last evening voted by 41 to 34 to allow supermarket and grocery stores to sell wine. When the Sale of Liquor Bill was called for its third reading, the member of Parliament for Onehunga, Mr Fred Gerbic, moved that it be sent back to the “Committee of the Whole House.” This recommittal, a rare event at Parliament, gave politicians a second chance to debate, then vote on, the sale of wine in supermarkets and grocery stores. Before the House took a fiveweek recess from early June the issue had appeared resolved. Liberals on the liquor issue had been disappointed when Parliament rejected the recommendations of a select committee and threw out proposals to allow all liquor, or even just wine, to be sold in supermarkets. On the issue of wine sales only, the voting was 37 to 33 in favour of supermarkets staying “dry.” Since then the proponents of wine sales have marshalled their arguments and convinced key members of Parliament that the proposal could succeed if dealt

with in isolation. An initial attempt to revisit the issue last week, during the final committee stage, had required the leav.e of the House. This could be stymied by a single opponent — and it was. Mr Gerbic’s recommittal motion, coming at the next stage of the bill’s passage, forced a division, and was won by 45 votes , to 31. ‘ Parliament opted to recommit on a total of three issues. Apart from supermarket sales, the House opted to debate again a technical change to the bill regarding trusts, and an oversight which would have deprived the Wellington suburb of Tawa of its dry status. But early speakers left no doubt that supermarket sales was the pivotal issue. Mr Gerbic’s. amendment would allow supermarkets with a floor space of more than 1000 sq m to sell wine of less than 15 per cent volume alcohol. It would not permit supermarket sales of dessert wine, wine-based drink, wine cooler, wine liqueur or vermouth. But under his amendment other grocery stores could also

be granted an off-licence if they sold mainly household food. Mr Gerbic, and the member of Parliament for Palmerston North, Mr Trevor de Cleene, both argued that the amendment would be more moderate than the bill as it stood. They said that under the present bill a supermarket could simply buy an adjoining property, ' then use these separate premises to sell all types of alcohol — including beer and spirits. Under the amendment they would stick to wine. Mr Gerbic also argued that wine was a civilised adjunct to food, and should be able to be bought in supermarkets. Opponents, such as the member of Parliament for Eastern Hutt, Mr Trevor Young, emphasised the social distress that would be caused by greater availability. He said that wine, and all alcohol, should only be sold in a controlled environment. The member of Parliament for Central Otago, Mr Warren Cooper, opposed the amendment for economic reasons.