Frequently Asked Questions

We have created the SAY NOW Guidelines to provide you with advice about how to get SAY NOW up and running.

They give you a step by step guide to the model and how you can implement SAY NOW in your community.

The guidelines can be downloaded from here.
 

SAY NOW has been based on a low cost model which encourages key stakeholders to contribute resources to the project. For example:

• Sports clubs may cover catering costs for participants who attend the education sessions
• Health professionals, Police and other educators may present their alcohol awareness information freely as a part of their role in the community
• Community and Public Health people may organise and lead the SAY NOW education sessions.
   

Anyone who has an interest in reducing alcohol related harm in club settings.

No. SAY NOW can be delivered in any club where alcohol is consumed. (E.g. bowling, golf, rowing, softball or cricket clubs etc). Hence you may choose to deliver SAY NOW with winter and summer sporting codes.

Contact your local District Licensing Agency - at your nearest city or district council, or the local Police.  

Even if the DLA or the Police can take no action on your reports they do collect information on the management of licensed premises and use this when planning monitoring exercises and at the time of licence renewals.  

Only if parents or guardians purchase the alcohol for them or if it is part of a private social gathering - such as a 21st birthday, wedding or similar.  

Yes, a guardian or parent can purchase or supply alcohol to their child (under the Sale of Liquor Act).  

Yes. You need an off-licence (see licences section).  

In New Zealand, home brewing of beer and wine has always been legal, provided it was not sold without a licence. Part 2 of the Sale of Liquor Act sets out the general conditions about liquor licences, or you can check out our liquor licences section.  

From 1 October 1996, the Customs Act and Regulations were changed to allow home distilling of spirits. Section 7 (b) of the Customs and Excise Act 1996 provides an exemption from the requirement to have a customs licence to distil spirits at home provided they are exclusively for personal use and not for sale to any other person.

It used to be illegal to distil spirits even for personal use in New Zealand. At one stage, it was even illegal to own the equipment required to carry out distillation. In New Zealand, this requirement was relaxed in1962, which allowed people to own distilling equipment.
 

The Sale of Liquor Act 1999 and Amendment Act 2004 make no specific reference to liqueur-filled chocolates. The Act states in section 2 that any beverage that is lower than 1.15% alc.vol, is not classified as liquor and no licence is needed to sell such a product.

While the alcohol put into these chocolates may be over the legal definition of liquor, when mixed with the other ingredients, the overall alcohol content will be under the 1.15% alc.vol. The general interpretation is that liqueur chocolates are a food product and sellers do not need a liquor licence to sell them.

We suggest that any queries about the importing of products containing alcohol be directed to the New Zealand Customs Service. Telephone 0800 428 786 or contact the local customs port in the area where the importer is located.

Local manufacturers can contact Customs or discuss issues with Excise Licensing Officers in their region. The New Zealand Customs Service website has information with reference to alcohol. Under the heading ‘manufacturers’, there is information about excise duty, duty free and licensing. This is where all relevant information is held about alcohol.
 

Yes. The salesperson must have proof of age of all the members of the group and can legally refuse to sell if they are unsure whether someone underage may be going to consume the alcohol.

This is known as the party rule.
 

Probably, yes - but you would need to check the conditions of the restaurant's licence. If it has either a supervised or an undesignated licence then your child can legally serve alcohol on the premises.   

In this case the liability is with the licensed premises. Because the bar will still be open to the public, this is not considered a private function. You may wish to sit down with the licensed premises and talk through concerns about service to minors. It would pay to find out what, if any, conditions of the licence may relate to young people being on the premises.  

Sale of Liquor Act sections which refer to a guardian are sections 157, 160 and 163.

The Ministry of Justice advises that the only people who are guardians (as defined by both these acts) are:

• parents (except fathers who are not in a relationship with the mother and not on the birth certificate - unless appointed by the Court)

• testamentary guardians (guardians appointed under a will).

1. New Zealand passport

2. New Zealand driver's licence

3. Overseas passport

4. HANZ 18+ photo ID card (18+ card).

Yes, but ALAC would advise you to consider this very carefully. In general terms we would advise that if you are considering this, then it would be sensible to inform the parents of the invited guests about your intentions - many parents have been annoyed to find that their son/daughter has been served alcohol by another adult18 years and over.

The Sale of Liquor Act allows alcohol to be served to young people at a private party.

Under the Sale of Liquor Act, generally, if you are under 18, only your parent or legal guardian can buy or supply you with alcohol. The only exception in the legislation is for a 'private social gathering'. Exactly what this means is not defined in the legislation so is open to different interpretations. As a general rule the people coming need a personal invitation, and no money can change hands, i.e. if anyone can come then it isn't a private social gathering and alcohol cannot be sold at the event or included in the ticket price.

It is important to note that anyone who sells alcohol can be prosecuted if it can be shown that they knew it was going to be illegally supplied to someone under 18.

If it was in licensed premises, then you may be able to lay a formal complaint with the Police or DLA.

You may wish to talk to the licensed premises first, or discuss the matter directly with your Liquor Licensing Inspector at your city or district council. Or you can speak with the Police - ask for Liquor Licensing.

If it was at a private party this may have been legal. However, ALAC would encourage you to speak with the party hosts to express your concern and disappointment.  
 

ALAC's position is that the minimum age for buying alcohol from on-licence or off-licence premises should be raised to 20 years. Please see ALAC's submission on the Alcohol Reform Bill.