NEWS

The Government has revealed tough measures to clamp down on liquor sales, including allowing councils to prevent outlets opening near schools and to limit opening hours.

Prime Minister Helen Clark said yesterday the Cabinet had considered a raft of changes to liquor laws, including tougher controls on the supply of alcohol to young people and putting more restrictions on the location of off-licences.

She said the Government had prepared legislation to build on Labour MP George Hawkins' private member's bill, which gives more community input into granting liquor licences.

The move has support from the Asian Anti-crime Group, set-up after the three homicides in South Auckland.

Group member Peter Low said anything that reduced crime would be supported but wider issues such as education and job opportunities needed to be looked at.

He said the changes to the Crimes Act, which removed the right of parents to smack their children, had created a lack of "discipline".

"Look at the schools. Do they teach the children respect, morals and discipline? No," Mr Low said.

He said the community needed to work together with the Government and police to make a better society.

Mr Low said the Government needed to stop providing "empty promises" and "open their eyes" to the situation on the ground.

The Government bill was likely to allow district councils to set up liquor strategies that liquor licensing authorities had to adhere to when deciding whether to grant licences.

Helen Clark said those strategies would be expected to cover hours of opening, the number of outlets in a particular area, proximity to other outlets and the closeness of other types of premises, including schools.

Mr Hawkins - who has long voiced concerns about liquor outlets in his electorate - introduced the bill after the killing of Navtej Singh at his Manurewa liquor shop.

Helen Clark pledged to take action to stop the proliferation of liquor outlets, which had increased from 6295 in 1989 when the Sale of Liquor Act came into force to 14,970 this year. She was also adamant that law enforcement should be left to the police. After the recent spree of killings and muggings in South Auckland suburbs, a spokesman for an Asian anti-crime group - which formed three months ago - said it was looking at setting up groups to protect themselves.

The Prime Minister discouraged this. "I wouldn't want to see in New Zealand the development of vigilante-style groups. I think that's completely opposite to our culture."

She said NZ had a community-based police force, which was there to respond quickly and effectively.

"There will always be debate from time to time about whether that happened but I would urge those who have those concerns to keep working with the local police force on a community-based response."

She said discussions between Manukau community groups and government agencies had resulted in a number of actions, including more youth aid workers and more support for Maori and Pacific Island wardens.