News

Beverage-loving students are breaking down in tears after the Dunedin City Council took the first step towards a permanent ban on drinking in North Dunedin streets. The ban, if it goes ahead, will cover the area bordered by Queen Street, Opoho Road, Logan Park, and the railway line. Currently, drinking in the street is only banned in the CBD area.

The proposed liquor ban, which is supported by police and the University, has been considered by the council several times since the first Undie 500 riots in 2006. But this time, it appears the DCC means business. On 8 February, the Council voted to send the proposed ban to the public for consultation.
Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull says the ban is primarily designed to reduce “unsafe behaviour” in the student area. The DCC and the University are also concerned about drunken street parties damaging Dunedin’s reputation.

Cull suggested that police “would be required to warn [rather than arrest in the first instance] so as long as someone complied, I imagine there would be no further consequences. Much as it works now.”
OUSA President Logan Edgar says “OUSA recognises that some aspects of Dunedin’s alcohol culture are harmful, and we condemn couch fires and any behaviour that ruins things for the rest of us.” But he criticised the proposed ban as a “sticking plaster” that would not stop alcohol-related harm. “It’s going to do nothing, except stopping people having a bottle of wine in the park with their girlfriend or boyfriend.”

The proposed ban is particularly targeted at large student gatherings such as the annual Hyde Street keg party, which the DCC regards as dangerous in its current form. Edgar is confident that the liquor ban would “not stop Hyde Street” due to the difficulty of actually enforcing the ban.

Cull says the DCC is “absolutely” prepared to work with OUSA to come up with ways to make events such as the Hyde Street keg party safer, rather than shutting them down entirely. But he wants to “do that within the liquor ban. That way we can have more control over rules that would make it safe. For example, you might only be allowed to have kegs so no glass bottles can get thrown around.”
The 2012 Hyde Street Keg Party is scheduled for Saturday 24 March.

Edgar argues that stricter penalties for behaviour that is currently illegal would be preferable to a liquor ban: “I’m more comfortable with that than taking away students’ liberties”.

Edgar will meet with Vice-Chancellor Harlene Hayne over the next few weeks to discuss potential alternatives to an outright ban. He also hopes to engage the Mayor in debate.

The public can make submissions on the proposed ban from 25 February to 26 March. Edgar is writing a public submission on behalf of OUSA, and has also started a petition opposing the liquor ban, which as of 23 February had already been signed by 3000 people.