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The government will change regulations so hospitality businesses that offer drop-off services for their customers will not be stung by fees.
Pubs and clubs often offer courtesy vans to get their patrons home. But if they accept financial contributions towards the costs of running the transport service, or if they charge patrons to use the service, then it triggers passenger service requirements.
Minister for Regulation David Seymour said this meant that some hospitality businesses offering rides to get their patrons home safe were treated the same as a taxi service.
"I heard from one business who were paying about $12,000 per month to offer their customers rides home. That was coming straight out of their pocket," he said.
"Not being able to cover those costs in a meaningful way prevents more venues from offering this service."
Seymour said those costs included having a P licence and certificate of fitness on the vehicle.
"You don't need that to drive a few people home from the pub," he said.
"Transport rules are supposed to keep people safe, but if they mean people can't get a ride like this and some of them drive home drunk, then a safety rule has actually made people unsafe, and that's the kind of stupid rule we're trying to get rid of."
The Ministry for Regulation's recent hospitality review, which has also made recommendations around licensing fees and food safety requirements, found that financial contributions towards a ride service did not make a difference to how safe it was.
It has recommended the rules be scrapped.
Transport Minister Chris Bishop said the change would make it easier for hospitality businesses to ensure their customers got home safe and reduce the risk of drink-driving.
"Some hospitality businesses, mainly clubs, offer transport services to their customers and members. This is often done to prevent customers or members drinking and driving to make our roads safer.
"We want more hospitality businesses to have the means to offer them, so more Kiwis can benefit from them. That's why we are making this change."
Clubs NZ chief executive Lucy Waterreus said her organisation had been advocating for the change for years.
The cost to clubs had become prohibitive, she said.
"We've had clubs that are having to really consider whether courtesy coaches are something that they can continue to offer.
"In our rural communities, especially where there might not be alternative transport or people live further away from the clubs, it means that now it's still on the table."
A standard approach for noise controls
Bishop said the review also found concerns from the hospitality sector over the inconsistency in how excessive noise was dealt with by different councils and the government would improve the standardisation of noise controls in the new planning system.
"We do want people to enjoy all of the the benefits of the night-time economy, particularly in our major urban centres, and the reality is noise complaints are an issue.
"Everyone's got slightly different rules, slightly different standards, and so the new planning system will mean that we can standardise that much more consistently across the country."
Bishop said the changes would be added to existing regulatory reform work and in place by mid-2027.
