Liquor store a hazard to Cannons Creek

The Porirua Salvation Army is opposing the renewal of a liquor license for a Cannons Creek bottle store, saying the negative impacts of its operation are a danger to its clients and the wider community.

Porirua Salvation Army social service centre manager Major Ray Gordon says the Fantame Liquor Store is located close to Salvation Army emergency housing accommodating up to nine women and their children. Some of these families have fled abusive domestic situations where alcohol has been a major aggravating factor, he says.

The liquor store’s 9am to midnight trading hours has led to many of the shop’s customers drinking in the vicinity and into the early hours of the morning.

“Drunken altercations and rowdy behaviour are fairly common,” Major Gordon says. “For women and children who have been traumatised, with alcohol abuse often a root cause, having the bottle store and a constant flow of customers 15 hours a day can be very distressing.”

Occasionally, women staying at the houses are waiting for placement for addiction treatment and the bottle store and its clientele are not conducive to staying sober, he says.

For many other Salvation Army social service clients seeking food, budget advice or counselling, the easy access of alcohol in Porirua and its abuse is an underlying reason for them seeking help, Major Gordon says.

“A parent with an alcohol problem can wreak havoc on the family budget, children can be neglected or abused and there are often long-term psychological scars,” he says.

The Salvation Army has made a range of submissions to Government on what it sees as shortcomings of the Alcohol Reform Bill, and suggested remedies. These include the need to give the public a greater and better defined voice in the granting and renewal of liquor licenses and input into local authorities’ liquor plans.

The most effective measure to reduce alcohol consumption by young people and heavy drinkers – increasing alcohol excise – has already been sidelined by the Government. This measure is viewed by the World Health Organisation as the most cost-effective method of reducing alcohol consumption by young and heavy drinkers.

The Salvation Army is supporting Russell School’s celebration of Cannons Creek as a caring community and for the need to provide a safe environment for local children. The school is holding a community event, including a public action opposing the liquor licence renewal, on Tuesday, July 26 outside the school on Fantame Street from 4.30pm.