Uni ‘satisfied’ by liquor licence changes

Opposition from a student group has prompted changes to University of Otago's liquor licence.

The university says it is "fully satisfied" at the renewal of the licence, which will allow it to continue to sell alcohol in a supervised environment that helps minimise harm. 

In an eight-page decision, Dunedin’s district licensing committee said it would renew the university’s on-licence, but would remove two of the five trading areas from the licence and amend trading hours.

The licence originally covered five venues on campus that could provide alcohol — the University Union, St David Cafe, Gazebo Lounge, Staff Club and U-Bar.

St David Cafe and the Gazebo Lounge would no longer offer alcohol, which both venues offered at private functions.

Auahi Ora, a venue inside the union near the library, could not start selling alcohol until 4pm.

The Staff Club could begin at noon.

Student bar and live entertainment venue U-Bar would be allowed to supply alcohol from 4pm to 3am.

The committee said in the decision the main purpose of these five licensed venues, except U-Bar, was "to provide non-alcoholic refreshments to the tertiary community".

In the event alcohol was sold, it tended to be in conjunction with functions.

Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) Ōtepoti president Jai Whelan said the group had not opposed the renewal of the licence itself, but believed there was unclear information included in the university’s application for renewal.

He said removing the two unused sub-premises improved the clarity of the licence.

The decision comes after the parties adjourned for five weeks to allow an Alcohol Venue Management Plan to be created by the university, with assistance from other parties.

At the hearing, the university’s lawyer said the university would work with SSDP and regulatory agencies to create the plan.

In the decision, the committee said the plan was "a valuable document" and they were grateful to the parties involved in its development.

The plan had been endorsed by police and the licensing authority, with the SSDP making edits to the document, not all of which were adopted.

Mr Whelan was grateful the committee had published the plan, so other licensees could refer to it as an aid for their own applications and practices.

He said it provided clarity and certainty around accessibility and availability of alcohol on campus.

However, SSDP recorded in the decision their disappointment some of the feedback on the plan was not taken on board, and at their limited consultation in the creation of the document.

They said there was no acknowledgement of the alcohol-related harms associated with sexual violence and drug overdoses.

SSDP had requested a condition was added to the licence, requiring staff undertake overdose recognition and response training, and for the medication Naloxone to be included as first aid supplies on the premises.

The committee said substance abuse issues were "beyond the scope" of the university’s licence renewal application, and there was no necessity to impose a condition to keep Naloxone in first aid supplies.

University Union general manager Stephen Baughan said the university accepted the committee’s decision.

"The university is fully satisfied with the decision of the district licensing committee, which approves the renewal of its licensed activity as sought.

"The licence will enable the university to continue to supply alcohol in well-managed on-licensed premises, which assists the minimisation of alcohol harm — especially compared with unsupervised consumption of alcohol obtained from off-licenced premises.

tim.scott@odt.co.nz