The public right to drink a beer with fish and chips on the beach, or to have a wine at a picnic is being fought for in the city council chambers.
The Tauranga City Council is hearing public submissions on a proposal to extend permanent liquor free zones, with one of them being the entire 26km beach from Mount Maunganui to the Kaituna River.
The Tauranga City Council is debating the depth of the liquor free zones on the city's beaches.
Submissions opposing the move say making the entire beach liquor free will be impossible to police, alienate a large number of responsible law abiding people, and do nothing to curb a perceived youth drinking problem.
Submitter Phil Collins says liquor related arrests involve about 0.1 per cent of Tauranga's population. A beach wide ban will punish 99.9 percent of the people while doing nothing to address the cause of any public alcohol abuse.
If the council really wanted to ban something, he suggested a night time ban, say from 10pm.
Another submitter, Brett Wilson, says he's lived at Motiti Road from 22 years, and he and his neighbours haven't experienced problems with people having a beer when they fish. He says 95 per cent of people don't cause problems, even with vehicles on the beach.
Even the police do not support the beach wide ban. Alcohol harm reduction officer sergeant Nigel McGlone says police support the status quo, and they have no evidence to support a 24/7 ban on all public beaches.
Victoria Wheelton says in written submissions that the total beach ban is unnecessary, impossible to police, and there are already laws that give police power to remove people making a nuisance of themselves.
"Unenforceable laws teach the community that they do not need to take notice of them, and being a criminal is okay," says Victoria.
"Those of us who are law abiding citizens and do worry about doing the right thing see this as a big brother tactic.
"Unenforceable laws teach the community that they do not need to take notice of them and that being a criminal is okay."
The council is expected to make a decision on Monday afternoon.
3 comments
Typical Drinkers response
Posted on 20-09-2010 13:07 | By bryceh
This person who has submitted this information supporting his call to stop with the beach wide ban, typically uses information intended to mislead. Okay so he quotes 0.1% of Tauranga\'s population is arrested for drinking in public, and I am not too sure about that statistic, but for the purposes of his article, lets say its true. 1. Does this incluide people drink driving, on their way to and from the public place they have been drinking at?! His misrepresentation starts with him saying that because of the 0.1% stat, 99.9% of Tauranga\'s population are going to be penalized, and that is absolute and utter CRAP! 1. How many children live in Tauranga? They dob\'t drink! 2. How many over 60\'s live in Tauranga? They generally don\'t drink in public! 3. How many NON-DRINKERS live in Tauranga? They certainly don\'t drink in public! 4. How many ethnics live in Tauranga, with drinking alcohol banned as part of their culture? They don\'t drink in public! 5. How many responsible \"drink at home or the pub\" drinkers live in Tauranga? These people would rarely if ever drink in a public place! So Mr Phil Collins, I suggest if you want to submit a case for anything, make sure you have your assertions correct! Make sure that your case is actually representing 99.9% of the population before speaking on their behalf! ***Line removed by editor***
If you want to drink alcohol, do it where it is legal. And another flaw in your case, is the fact you only mention \"arrests\" as being the cause of your concern. What about those idiots who don\'t when enough booze is enough and they start to harass others in public? What about the kids (teenagers) who will drink under the radar, and leave society to clean up their puke, their blood, and their rubbish as they flee the area. I walk to our local shops every day and every day I see beer cans and cardboard packaging on the ground around the bus top seat. It is disgusting, and it is illegal. Littering is illegal, and so is drinking in this type of environment. According to your preference, this type of ghastly remembrance will be prolific in the open drinking areas. Oh but wait - I guess you would say that this is councils responsibility to clean up!
A step too far
Posted on 20-09-2010 20:18 | By Matt
I have been known to take a single bottle of beer to enjoy when watching the sun set and waiting for an unlucky snapper to happen by my bait at points south of Karewa Parade (and take my empty bottle back with me). I \"am\" drinking where it\'s legal. If it was outlawed I\'d be at risk of prosecution, perhaps. Papamoa Police had better get a 4WD to patrol the beaches maybe? I\'d rather Police be able to respond to assaults, domestics, tagging and other crime - not a solitary fisherman having a beer. If Police don\'t want the ban, what has brought about the proposal?
Jeroen van der Beek
Posted on 20-09-2010 23:07 | By Fun in the Sun
It is rather sad when the stupid antics of a few stop the majority from enjoying a quiet responsible drink with a meal on the beach. I also am tired of having my freedom curtailed due to a blanket legislative policy, rather than targeting the culprits and dealing with them in an appropriate harsh manner.
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