General policy statement
Race meetings are important community events around New Zealand, largely run by volunteer committees. Many regional racing clubs lack the infrastructure to offer large amounts of hospitality services. Allowing patrons to bring their own food and drink to the course is a major drive in attracting attendance on race days. Typically, clubs obtain a special licence (or hold an on-licence) for a designated area and allow the rest of the course to be available for bring-your-own alcohol (BYO alcohol) consumption.
Recently the Police have begun to object to BYO alcohol during clubs’ applications for special alcohol licenses for specific areas of the course. This has been a stressful, time-consuming and uncertain exercise for many racing clubs around the country. Police have issued guidance providing some clarity on their interpretation of section 235, but ambiguity still remains.
This Bill makes it clear that racing clubs and race meetings are not the intended target of section 235 of the Sale and Supply of Liquor Act 2012. The Bill provides an exemption from section 235 for racing clubs on the days of race meetings if the consumption of alcohol takes place at a time when the club holds either an on-licence or an on-site special licence that applies to the race meeting.