The Impacts of Liquor Outlets in Manukau City Report No. 2 - Community stakeholder views on the impacts of liquor outlets in Manukau City

Recent substantial increases in the number of liquor outlets have been matched by an escalation in community concern about alcohol-related harm. This report presents the results of an extensive community consultation on the impacts of liquor outlets in Manukau City. There was general agreement that alcohol-related harm was mediated by location, the type of outlet from which alcohol was purchased, and general socioeconomic context. Most concern was expressed about the impact on families and youth, and it appears that for community stakeholders issues with immediate impacts take precedence over those that played out over longer time horizons. Three main policy options were noted: (i) reducing the number of outlets; (ii) controlling the hours of operation, and (iii) restricting the number of outlets or the areas in which outlets can be operated. However, there is a need for policy initiatives to partner with other approaches to changing social behaviours and attitudes around alcohol use.