Licensee says drunks should be accountable

A Queenstown licensee says ''public drunkenness' should be made an offence.

Surreal licensee Melissa Stadler made the comment when she appeared before the Alcohol and Regulatory Licensing Authority in Queenstown yesterday on three alleged breaches of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act.

They were: seven members of the public being on the premises outside licensed hours on October 16; several alleged breaches of the Act discovered during the Southern District's covert Operation Overload on June 21, the opening night of the Queenstown Winter Festival; and allegedly allowing intoxicated patrons to remain on the premises during a police visit on August 3.

Mrs Stadler, who has 24 years' experience in the industry, accepted the October 16 breach but disputed the facts on the other allegations.

She told Judge John Hole evidence pointed to issues with patrons ''pre-loading'', but there appeared to be little repercussion for them.

''This is not the correct forum for this, but making public drunkenness an offence would greatly help target anti-social behaviour.

''You can prosecute those in the hospitality industry, but until there is some onus placed on the individual there is going to be little change and the object and purpose of the Act will never be achieved.''

It was ''abhorrent'' there was virtually no education or marketing to the public about the consequences of a breach for those in the hospitality industry, she said.

Recent changes to the Act meant licensees and duty managers had to be ''more staunch'' with patrons, who appeared to ''struggle'' with the new legislation.

''It's a struggle to educate them - we have a sign up ... that says `if you're intoxicated, we'll ask you to leave' but in teeny weeny writing it says 'we can be fined up to $10,000'.

''Nobody sees it.''

Mrs Stadler said she was unconvinced patrons were aware changes to the Act had prompted a crackdown by police and licensees in the resort when it came to allowing patrons to enter, or remain, on site.

She also felt the Act's definition of ''intoxication'' and assessment tools provided were ''ambiguous and confusing''.

''The influenced and intoxicated section are basically the same but to differing degrees. Once again it ends up being a subjective call between the police, server, manager and licensee.''

Mrs Stadler said licensees had become ''the educators, the law enforcers and the protectors''.

''A little encouragement and assistance wouldn't go astray, as opposed to applying for suspension.''

Mrs Stadler said she supported covert operations, but choosing the opening night of the Queenstown Winter Festival for such an operation was ''extremely difficult''.

It was one of the busiest nights of the year and, for new winter staff, it served as ''a baptism of fire'', given it was the first night new staff were put to the test.

She said the authorities should have given bars ''a little bit of leeway ... considering the immense pressure we were put under on this particular night''.

Judge Hole adjourned the hearing and said he would issue a written decision in due course.

He asked Mrs Stadler to notify him of dates available should the authority decide to issue a suspension.

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