By Dave Goosselink
The Dunedin City Council is considering a permanent liquor ban in the student suburbs, in a bid to end drunken street parties.
Students would be banned from drinking outside their flats, and on the way into town.
But the students are preparing to fight the plan.
A few quiet drinks at the flat is something most students enjoy, but the council wants to ensure that is where they stay.
It is proposing a year round liquor ban across north Dunedin, to curb what it says are dangerous street parties.
“Some of the public gatherings are such that it is inevitable that sooner or later someone will get either seriously hurt or will die,” says Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull.
He is keen to see the end of infamous "scarfie" scenes like couch burning and mass drinking on the public streets.
But Otago's Student President Logan Edgar is rejecting it as a long term solution.
“Drunken disorderly, that sort of student behaviour has been very much on the decrease over the past year, so it's surprising me that this measure wants to be put in place.”
The city has already seen off the annual toga parade and Undie 500 events, after problems with drunken disorder.
And the university's been buying up and closing down old student pubs like the Gardies and the Bowler.
“It almost seems like a bit of a strategic manoeuvre by the university and the local council to change or adapt the culture or perception of the culture that goes on down here,” says student Devon Latoa.
Those pushing for the liquor ban say it is about cleaning up the reputation of Otago University. But senior students believe it could actually end up killing Otago's unique culture.
“A lot of students do come here for that "Otago" culture. It's slowly becoming more and more defunct,” says fourth year student Alice O'Connell.
Students and the public get to have their say on the plans later this month.
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