The Government wants to review liquor laws following the recent spate of violent crime in South Auckland, and political parties are now vying for the trophy of best solution to what is becoming a popular election year issue - crime.
With escalating problems in South Auckland linked to alcohol, the Prime Minister plans to clamp down on the increasing numbers of outlets, but National's John Key is not impressed with Helen Clark's plan to review our 19-year-old liquor laws.
"She's had nine years of full review, a long time to make changes, she has failed," says Mr Key. "Isn't it time for a new government that will actually take action?"
Key wants a parliamentary inquiry, but Clark has called for immediate action with heads of departments from Social Development, Justice and Maori and Pacific Island Affairs meeting tomorrow, "to support the Manurewa community to stand up against crime and violence in the area, as was done in response to the number of homicides in Otara some 18 months ago, and also to work on proposals for changes to licensing laws."
But looking to statistics, the problem does not appear to be solely linked to a proliferation of liquor stores.
In Manukau, there is one liquor outlet for every 1778 people. But in Christchurch, with a similar population, there is one for every 942 people, almost double the Manukau rate. Even Dunedin has more, with one liquor outlet for every 1060 people.
Act MP Heather Roy is cynical about reviewing liquor laws.
"It's election year, the Government want to be seen to be doing something positive about the problem. But imposing liquor limits and caps, saying where shops can and cannot open is going to make absolutely no difference," she says.
But Manurewa MP George Hawkins says the time is right to look at his bill, which would mean possible social effects would have to be considered before a licence is granted.
"They're going to have to do a social impact report to say what effects it will have on the local community," says Mr Hawkins. "I think that's a start."
Hawkins hopes to get support to introduce the bill to Parliament this week.
While the politicians squabble, proposals to change the liquor laws have been warmly welcomed in the city that has sparked the debate.
Manukau has far fewer liquor stores than many cities its size, but the key seems to be where they are sited. For many in the city, this is one business they want to see a lot less of.
Narinder Singla has run his South Auckland liquor store for three years. In that time he has been robbed twice: once with a screwdriver, once with a knife.
He welcomes proposals that would give local government more power to limit the spread of shops like his.
"In New Zealand you can open here and just there... that is very bad," says Mr Singla.
He says liquor stores should be banned from residential areas and have much tighter trading hours.
Those charged with preventing alcohol abuse agree.
"We're having murders in the streets. We're having violent fights in the streets. We've got communities saying they've had enough," says Rebecca Williams of Alcohol Helpwatch.
"Why would we not solve this issue right now?"
Ms Williams says the biggest problem is not the overall number of liquor outlets, but their distribution.
"These outlets seem to be concentrating in the communities that are least able to kind of deal with some of the outcomes."
Communities like Otahuhu on the southern flank of Auckland City, where there are three massive cut-price liquor outlets within a few hundred metres.
Head south into Manukau city and it is more of the same: every few hundred metres, another cut-price off licence.
In total there are at least 12 liquor stores within a one-kilometre radius of the Auckland-Manukau boundary. In the same area there are also 10 schools.
"More availability, more access seems to result in increased harm," says Ms Williams. "People drink more. It's easier to get. There's more impromptu purchases. There's that convenience factor, and anyone that's being kind of looking for some alcohol they can basically get it at any street corner."
And with alcohol on every street corner, so the argument goes, you will get violence on every street corner.
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