Media release: Unpicking alcohol protections - New Bill set to increase harm and reduce public voice

Proposed changes to Aotearoa New Zealand’s alcohol laws are expected to increase alcohol availability and reduce community input into local decisions, raising concerns about rising alcohol harm and inequities.

In the latest Public Health Communication Centre Briefing, University of Otago Professor Jennie Connor and co-authors unpack the Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Improving Alcohol Regulation) Amendment Bill, saying it weakens already limited protections in favour of the alcohol industry.

“Taken together, all the changes the Bill proposes would make alcohol more available in everyday settings while making it harder for communities to have a say,” says Prof Jennie Connor. “The evidence is clear that increased availability leads to increased harm.”

Alcohol remains the most harmful drug in New Zealand, contributing to a wide range of physical, psychological, social and economic harms. Māori experience disproportionate impacts, including significantly higher rates of alcohol-related death. International public health evidence consistently shows that stronger controls on availability are among the most effective ways to reduce harm. 

The proposed Bill introduces a series of changes that would expand access to alcohol across everyday environments. These include allowing some restaurants to sell takeaway alcohol, permitting clubs to serve the general public, enabling hairdressers and barbers to serve alcohol without a licence, and extending trading hours for major televised events. The Bill also does not require consistent ID and intoxication checks for most alcohol deliveries.

 “Normalising alcohol in more settings, including places like hairdressers, increases exposure and makes it more difficult for people who are trying to reduce or avoid alcohol,” says Prof Connor. “It also raises broader safety concerns, particularly where there is limited oversight.”

The Bill also proposes to limit who can object to alcohol licence applications, restricting this to people living or working nearby. This would exclude a range of affected groups, including those with connections to the area but living elsewhere, and national organisations working with people impacted by alcohol harm. At the same time, it would make it more difficult for communities to reduce the number of alcohol outlets in their neighbourhoods. 

“Communities experience the impacts of alcohol harm and should be able to shape their local environments,”  says Prof Connor. “Restricting who can object further reduces already limited community input into licensing decisions.”

The alcohol industry has expressed support for the proposed changes, prompting questions about who benefits from the reforms and how public health considerations are being balanced.

Submissions on the Bill are open until 11:59pm on Thursday 14 May 2026.