Alcohol in Public Places Bylaw - Brady Dyer (Hutt City Council)

What are your thoughts on some or all public places becoming alcohol free zones from 9pm to 5am in Lower Hutt?

Police currently have powers to stop drinking in public, but this bylaw would allow the police to intervene before an issue begins. While I don’t think we want to become and over-policed city I think we need to find a good balance. Having just recently returned from Paris, it was wonderful to see 100’s of people sitting along the River Seine having picnics, often enjoying a bottle of wine. The problem is how do you say that sort of thing is ok, but a bunch of people getting drunk at a park isn’t?

The bylaw won’t include people transporting alcohol (I.e. Walking to a friends house, or going to a BYO restaurant).

If elected in the upcoming elections I am looking forward to being part of this consultation with the public to see what issues people bring up. In part I support banning drinking in public places – but would like to hear from the results of this consultation process before putting my full support behind it.

I am supportive for having a blanket rule across the city, and not designated to hot spot regions. It over complicates it for people working out where they can and can’t drink, and also problem areas will just shift to other areas not currently covered under the proposed bylaw – which could see a lot of time & money wasted constantly updating the bylaw with additional areas that become problems. Also residents nearby to the new problem areas won’t be happy that the problem has been introduced to their neighbour through the council’s decision to not include the entire city.

Lower Hutt Mayor Ray Wallace says, “Public places do not include bars and other licensed premises or private property. Public places are areas such as parks, the river bank and public streets.”

“A lot of crimes in our city are related to or made worse by alcohol consumption. We want people to feel safe in public places.”