NZ pubs to open for Rugby World Cup

Bars and clubs across Tauranga and beyond will be able to open for live broadcasting of every Rugby World Cup fixture under a new law expected to pass through parliament today.

“The Select Committee saw no evidence at all of any problems with the special licensing laws and, if there were, making up laws on the fly isn’t the way to deal with them”, said Mr Hague.

He the bill amounted to a “rear-guard action” against the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012.

There will be conditions to bars extending hours to show RWC games: there must be no outdoor speakers; no discarding of empty bottles and no use of outdoor courtyard areas.

However, the bill, as reported back from Parliament’s Justice and Electoral select committee allows for bars to open for all televised matches.

“Venues will be required to provide seven days’ notice before opening, and police retain all existing powers to shut down premises breaching of obligations”, he adds. Premises which have had their licences varied or suspended in the previous 12 months will not be able to extend their hours.

But the Green Party claimed that it is an undemocratic and rides roughshod over local licensing decisions.

Labour’s Grant Robertson said the bill was about a sense of community, not about people going on “benders”.

“This is not supposed to where you are presumed un-free unless you can justify yourself to the busy-bodies”.

The bill was in the name of Act leader and Epsom MP David Seymour.

The Green Party originally blocked him from progressing the bill, but changed their minds the next game after being accused of “wowsers” and “party poopers”.

Green Party health spokesperson, Kevin Hague, said in exchange for Greens’ support, the Government and Mr Seymour promised pubs near schools would remain closed, but they reneged on that.

Last week Prime Minister John Key and Justice Minister Amy Adams said they would prefer the games to be limited to All Blacks matches, and the quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals.

“We were comfortable with that, but the National Party has also not followed through with its undertaking and the bill will apply to nearly 50 games in the Rugby World Cup”.