Government drops plan to cut bottle store hours in alcohol law shake-up

Thursday, 28 August 2025

Bottle shops have escaped having their hours changed in new reforms announced today.

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The Government has decided not to reduce the hours alcohol bottle stores can be open amid reforms announced today.

The changes are focused on reducing red tape for bottle stores and include ensuring objections to license applications come from only the local community, letting hairdressers and barbers serve small amounts of booze without a licence and make it easier for establishments wanting cellar doors.

The changes also make it easier for ministers to declare major televised events which makes it simpler for pubs and clubs to serve alcohol outside of normal trading hours.

Alcohol policy specialist Prof Sally Casswell says NZ's guidelines underestimate the health risks of drinking. She warns that damage begins at even one drink a day, and criticises the alcohol industry's lobbying influence.

According to leaked papers reported by RNZ, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee had originally sought to limit the hours alcohol could be sold at off-licences to between 9am-9pm with advice saying this could prevent 2400 violent crimes a year.

But this change is absent from those announced on Thursday. Currently alcohol can be sold between 7am and 11pm but Auckland and Christchurch have already introduced tougher liquor bylaws to ban booze sales after 9pm.

McKee announced her changes at an Auckland bar this morning and said her reforms were focused on “restoring fairness and practicality” without “compromising public safety”.

Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee has decided against restricting the hours booze can be sold.

“Most New Zealanders who choose to drink alcohol do so responsibly. Our reforms recognise that responsible drinkers should not be penalised because of the behaviour of a few who do not drink safely,” the minister said.

“The Government is making targeted reforms to alcohol legislation to remove unnecessary red tape while continuing to uphold protections that minimise alcohol-related harm.”

The changes approved by Cabinet are:

Allow licence applicants a right of reply to objectors.
Only allow objections to applications from local communities.
When renewing a licence under a new local alcohol policy, require district licensing committees to change licence conditions, rather than completely decline the application.
Allow hairdressers and barbers to supply small amounts of alcohol to customers without a licence.
Allow premises that are like wineries, such as breweries and meaderies, and distilleries, to hold both on- and off-licences to support cellar door sales.
Update regulations so that rapid delivery services will be better supported to reduce alcohol-related harm.
Enable the responsible minister to declare a stand-alone exemption to special licensing requirements for national televised events.
Allow age verification digital identity credentials as approved evidence of age documents for alcohol purchases.
“Non-alcoholic” drinks are drinks with no alcohol content. E.G., water and soft drinks.
“Low alcohol” drinks are drinks with negligible alcohol content. E.G., kombucha.
“Zero-alcohol” drinks are drinks with no alcohol content, but which simulate alcoholic drinks e.g. 0.0% gin.

McKee said territorial authorities will retain all current powers to regulate alcohol within their communities through local alcohol policies and district licensing committees.

“I trust local councils to make the right decisions for their communities. If people have concerns about alcohol in their area, they should raise them directly with their council, and many already do.”

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