A Christchurch man has delivered an emotional plea to city councillors, urging them to tighten local alcohol rules and protect families from what he calls a poison that is tearing communities apart.
Wayne Hawker was among the 415 people, businesses and organisations who submitted on the Christchurch City Council’s draft Local Alcohol Policy, which proposes ending off-licence alcohol sales at 9pm, banning new bottle stores near schools and addiction services, and stopping new liquor outlets from opening in areas already struggling with deprivation.
Current trading hours for off-licences in the city are 7am to 11pm.
Speaking to councillors on Wednesday, Hawker said “Alcohol harm is destroying the very fabric of what we all cherish in our communities, our families.”
He said victims of alcohol harm deserved to be heard.
There is now a new opportunity to not only hear from the community, but more importantly, the voice of the vulnerable and the victims of alcohol harm.
He recalled a violent alcohol-related incident from nearly 50 years ago that left him severely injured.
I still live with both the physical and mental scars of an incident that left me with 27 stitches in a head wound, 24 stitches in a thigh. I spent four days in a coma, and even now, nearly 50 years later, not only do I carry these scars, but I’ve also lost all the memory of nearly four days of my life.
I ask you to imagine what it is like for a family to get a knock on their door late at night from the police to say your loved one has been involved in a serious accident, been rushed to hospital. That is some of the most devastating news any family can receive. Alcohol was the catalyst of that.
Hawker said more needed to be done.
Let’s break the cycle. It is still out there on a daily basis in our community. Sadly, these stories are only the tip of the iceberg. Many families are still to this day dealing with the harm of alcohol and we need to do more.
He said the cost to society was staggering and largely invisible.
Alcohol harm is costing our country more than $9 billion a year. Our police, justice, public health and mental health systems bear the brunt of this cost, and even you as a council will be affected in some way, just as many other employers are.
Hawker urged the council not to stop at this policy.
Please do not stop after you pass this aspect of the Local Alcohol Policy. I urge you to also look at making meaningful changes regarding unlicensed alcohol sales and consumption as well.
A friend once told me alcohol is regarded as the single most addictive poison in the world, yet look how we treat it. So we need to open our eyes and listen to those most affected, the victims.
He ended with a final appeal.
There’s no silver bullet to fix this problem, but as a council, you owe it to all of us. Do not just do this, but more, if we are to have any hope of reducing alcohol harm in our community, the very communities you are elected to look out for and protect.
Councillors will now consider the public feedback before making a decision on the final shape of the policy.
(This story been edited at the request of family members June 12)
