Liquor Licensing

The Buller District Council is an agency for the Liquor Licensing Authority in Wellington. The requirements for Licences and the criteria the Authority consider in granting them are set out in the Sale of Liquor Act 1989 and Regulations. Anyone intending to apply for a Manager’s Certificate or any type of licence should familiarise themselves with the requirements of the relevant legislation.

All liquor licence applications and renewals should be lodged at the Buller District Council for processing. Unopposed new and renewal licence applications, special licences and temporary authorities can be granted by the Buller District Licensing Agency. All other applications are forwarded to the Liquor Licensing Authority in Wellington for determination.

• General Manager’s Certificate: authorises the holder to manage any licensed premises.
• Club Manager’s Certificate:, authorises the holder to manager only Club licensed or special licensed premises.
• On-Licence: authorises the holder of the licence to sell and supply liquor on the premises for consumption on the premises (or conveyance).
• Off-Licence: authorises the holder of the licence to sell liquor to any person for consumption off the premise or deliver liquor off the premises.
• Special Licence: is a licence to sell and supply liquor for a particular occasion or event or series of such functions (within a twelve month time frame and at the same venue).
• Temporary Authority: A District Licensing Agency may temporarily authorise someone to sell and supply liquor for up to 3 months. Situations where this may happen include a quick sale, illness, death, bankruptcy, liquidation, receivership, mortgagee in possession, landlord in possession, abandonment, etc. A temporary authority holder has the responsibilities of the licensee to which the authority relates.

When you appoint a new manager (including an Acting or Temporary manager for more than 48 hours) licensees must notify within two working days the Liquor Licensing Authority (LLA), the District Licensing Agency (Buller District Council) and the Police. The Police and the District Licensing Agency have five working days in which to object to an appointment in which case they will notify the LLA who will decide on whether to approve the application. If approval is not given the LLA will notify the agencies and the licensee who then has five days to terminate the appointment.

If a manager resigns or their role is terminated you must also notify all of the above agencies.

The preferred notification method is to use the form ‘Notice of Management Change’ (see Liquor Related Applications below) and either email, fax or post.

Licence Controller Qualification (LCQ)

The Sale of Liquor Amendment Act 1999 which came into force on 1 April 2006 requires all General Managers to hold a prescribed qualification known as a Licence Controller Qualification (LCQ). This certificate is issued by the Hospitality Standards Institute upon completion of two NZQA unit standards through an accredited training provider or a Hospitality Standards Institute registered assessor. The unit standards required are:

• 4646: Demonstrate knowledge of the Sale of Liquor Act 1989.
• 16705: Demonstrate knowledge of Host Responsibility requirements as a Liquor Licence Controller.

An application form for the LCQ is listed under "Applications", further information is also available from the Hospitality Standards Institute’s website www.hsi.co.nz.

Below are a series of application packs which include more information and application forms. For further queries please contact the Liquor Licensing Inspector for the Buller district on 788 9111.

The Buller District Council's Banning of Liquor in Public Places Bylaw 2005 came into effect in November 2005. It was designed as a town safety initiative to assist in reducing alcohol related crime, particularly vandalism and destruction of property.

An alcohol ban prohibits the possession or consumption of liquor, either for specific days, hours or at certain locations. A liquor ban is just one tool available to assist police and the community in dealing with alcohol related crime and disorder.

The Buller District Council has bans affecting four separate areas within the district; two in Reefton and two in Westport. These are total alcohol bans, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Signs are present in these areas.

Palmerston Street, Westport - Liquor Ban Map

Victoria Square, Westport - Liquor Ban Map

Broadway / Smith Street, Reefton - Liquor Ban Map

Strand area, Reefton - Liquor Ban Map